Peerless
by sllebswap
Summary: EiRin To be peerless is to be unrivaled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always? Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 2115

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 11/05/17

* * *

 **What sharp teeth you have**

* * *

There was this curious quality about him that gave off the impression of something unfathomably, unearthly, _different_.

Maybe it was that near leucistic coloring of his; whipcord lean alabaster coupled with pristine, lavender pale eyes and moonshine white hair that made him appear ethereal - _otherworldly_ \- in nature, or perhaps it was that distant, unconsciously aloof air that enveloped him in moments of focused contemplation, like a mysterious, invisible veil that automatically kept people from venturing too close. But whatever it was, that unapproachable demeanor and noble, almost regal, bearing of his never failed to attract attention wherever he went, even if he had never asked for it in the first place.

How did that saying go, again?

 _Nothing truly beautiful ever asks for attention._

Yeah, _that_. He probably could serve as the physical embodiment for that adage, because eyes on him were always going to be a stressful experience as far as he was concerned. He had never wanted it, never sought it, yearned for it. Fact was, it had taken him awhile to accept all that attention and adulation from his fans with the grace and dignity that he did now, and even sometimes, it was still all too much to bear. But bear it he would, for the endless pursuit of perfection in his craft that had so thoroughly ensnared and mesmerized him. His greatest love. His all-consuming obsession. He would endure anything for the sake of his cooking.

This was all nothing new to her.

They had practically grown up together; the fairytale-like allure of his princely appearance was something banal by now, and she had always detested dull, boring things with a passion. Truth to be told, pretty face notwithstanding, he was as dull and boring as anyone could get, once one got past that quietly enigmatic demeanor as well as that godly affinity for the culinary arts.

Yet, here she was, always close by.

Always revolving around him somehow, bonded together by a rash, youthful promise made to each other one spring day under a wide blue sky, swearing allegiance to each other in the name of what had seemed back then an impossible, farfetched dream. She had always been a free spirit even back when she was younger; carefree, reckless, doing as she pleased whenever she liked. Sometimes, she wondered what made her offer up that brash, impulsive promise to him all those years ago, to tie their fates together as closely as they had agreed upon. Sometimes, she wondered why he had accepted.

 _I'll go too if you do. Together._ _ **Together**_ _. It's a promise. Let's go together!_

Swallows pair for life too, right?

They were only fledglings back then, though. Too young to know any better, wings outstretched, flight feathers barely fletched in, just about ready to taste the dizzying, exhilarating joy of _flight_.

Unparalleled freedom.

So they achieved that dream, against all odds. Their shared vision coming to fruition through no small amount of blood, tears, and sweat. Endless frustration finely balanced out by an incredible drive to succeed. Superhuman effort sacrificed to surmount their own breaking limits end over end. Consecutive back-to-back challenges fending off vicious attacks from others threatening to swallow them whole. Dragging each other up bit by painstaking bit even on the worst of days. And then, _finally_ , transcending that ultimate pinnacle that highlighted some of their most ferocious struggles in this brutal, unforgivingly fast-paced culinary academy that had honed their talents to a razor edge. A baptism by fire, hell and brimstone, this harsh, cruel crucible was.

He became the undisputed First in the entirety of Tootsuki, and she, his overwhelmingly strong Second. Two of the finest crown jewels that glittered with brilliance and luster amongst their entire generation. She still kept close to him, even though they pretty much each had their own things to work on these days, still tirelessly improving on their individual specialties and outpacing their peers, absorbing as much as they could, endlessly _hungry,_ devouring whatever knowledge that those who had come and gone before them had left behind. And it was still not enough. This world was their precious oyster. Learning was limitless. For the sake of _understanding_ , going above and beyond was only the bare minimum of what they had to do.

Or rather, what _he_ strove to do. She was just partnering him and going along for the ride, eager to enjoy the view at the very top that nobody else had seen before, that she knew he would surely one day present to her in all of its breathtaking, exquisite glory.

 _Maybe that was why._

She studied him critically for the longest while, as if trying to figure out one of the greatest mysteries in this world, but to no avail. It was vexing. Perplexing. Tedious and persnickety as he could be sometimes, he was also made up of all sorts of paradoxical dualities. Which, of course, implied that he really wasn't as dull and as boring as he made himself out to be, after all. _A living, breathing study in endless contradiction_. _Geh_.

He noticed her squinting at him then, and silently raised one bemused brow in question. After all these years, her quirky nature was no longer something completely incomprehensible to him. It was somewhat comforting, even. He liked logical, familiar things. He liked things to be methodical, neat and orderly, for everything to be in their rightful place in his world. And while she was not exactly the neatest or most orderly person there was (never mind logical), her place had always been, _unquestionably_ , beside him.

"You look like a pansy ass vampire," she commented randomly out of the blue, and he started to sputter, surprised.

" _W-What_?" _Where did that came from?_

In response, she unfurled lazily from her spot on the couch; stretched, reached out, snagged his tie, and reeled him in. Planted a firm kiss on his faintly gaping mouth. Random. Spontaneous. There was no meaning to the act other than she just suddenly felt like it. His world _lurched_ alarmingly. The glint of her fang brushed tantalizingly against the flesh of his lower lip in unconscious sensuality, followed by the curious, catlike lick of her deft little tongue. She tasted faintly citrusy; the tart remnants of the sweet mikan which she had happily tore into sometime earlier. He shuddered, startled. Just as quickly as she had leaned in, she took advantage of his momentary distraction to pull away, ducked her head towards that long, pale neck of his…and _chomped_ down.

" _Ow_!" He pushed away from her hurriedly then, slapping one hand over his abused body part, looking at her like she had gone crazy. She was unaffected by his comically betrayed stare, clicking her tongue at his exaggerated demeanor and reached out once more, this time to pry his hand off his stinging neck, to survey her handiwork.

"What on earth was that for?" he asked incredulously.

"You _looked_ like a pansy ass vampire," she repeated again, as if that had just explained it all. Really, she gave him anxiety sometimes, just trying to figure out what she was up to. People called him a genius behind his back (and also to his face, actually), but she could make him feel like an idiot half the time, and she didn't even have to try very hard. Those wide, cat-slit eyes of hers regarded him with a bold, probing inquisitiveness that sometimes made him think that she could see right through him. His ambition, his hopes and dreams, everything that which drove him to ascend higher and higher, racking up that endless list of achievements that made him worthy of his moniker as 'The White Knight of the Table,' they were laid bare before her and she was intricately familiar with them all, with an intensely intimate understanding that was almost…lover-like.

His usually pallid complexion was faintly flushed with color now thanks to her unexpected, _er_ , attention. So did the blatant, throbbing mark which she had just left flowering unceremoniously on the side of his throat, angry red and visible to just about anyone who so much as looked at him. _Geeze, that's going to be a pain to conceal too-_

She started to smirk, a smug, feline satisfaction curling through her at a mischief well managed.

"Better," she drawled approvingly. "You don't look as half dead now."

She was just plain ludicrous. He should have given up trying to make sense of her long ago. Her logic always gave him a headache…if her frequently abandoned, unfinished responsibilities hadn't already.

"I wouldn't look half dead at all if you didn't just decide to dump all of your paperwork on me to run off and play," he uttered peevishly. His exhausted pallor was starting to creep back at the thought of the towering workload waiting for him back in his office. She tsked again at that distressed look on his face, before leaning in and planting another spontaneous, vigorous smooch on him. Once again, it was all over as quickly as it had begun, and he was left with the faintest impression of her warm breath, the softness of her full lips, and that tantalizing hint of mikan… It was all he could do not to lick his lips for another taste.

She reached back and slapped his back heartily while he was still inwardly reeling from her latest display of affection, nearly sending him faceplanting onto the floor. Unlike him who was always pale and beleaguered from one thing or another, she was incredibly robust and so very full of life. She was almost too much for him, really.

"There; payment for yer excellent paper pushin' services!" she crowed, winking roguishly at him as she went along. He gawked faintly at her. "Lemme know if that's not enough; I've got more where _that_ came from!"

He was starting to redden in chagrin again, not for the first time silently cursing his pale complexion for its inability to mask even the smallest amount of fluster on his end. _Damn it._ Damn _her_ for knowing where all of his buttons were hidden and always, _unfailingly_ , pushing down on them so gleefully and unrestrainedly. She waved her hand cheerily in front of his face.

"Hey, ya alright? Maybe I should whip up somethin' for yer anemia; don't 'cha faint on me now, Tsukasa!"

He batted her away before she could do something worse and reduce him into a stuttering moron. What 'White Knight of the Table?' He might as well be 'the Walking Doormat' as far as she was concerned.

"I'm _not_ anemic, and if I'm going to faint, it's because you're draining all the life out of me, Rindou! Don't try to distract me; you're coming back with me to do your paperwork!"

Now, he had a good grip on the back of her collar and looked entirely ready to tow her back to the office himself if he had to. She flailed, and neither looked like proper, respectable eighteen year olds who also happened to be the top leaders of their field at the moment.

" _Eh_?! But I'm _still_ hungry, Tsukasaaaa!"

His temple twitched, once, at her obnoxious whining. _This woman-_

"Get your work done first," he insisted, taking care not to look at her wide, wobbly eyes, suddenly all puppy-like and irresistibly pleading. He had fallen headfirst into that pit hole more often than he cared to admit. "…I'll make you something later, so-"

She brightened immediately, beaming like the sun.

"Really? Sankyuu, Tsukasa!" she chirped without even waiting for him to finish the rest of his sentence. His brow twitched again. Was he just a human food dispenser to her? "Gee, I'd kiss you again right now but I reeaaallllyyyy don't wanna be the cause of ya passing out, ya know! Ohohoho! It ain't yer fault; the great Rindou-sama is just too irresistible for the likes of mere mortal men!"

"…Who's going to pass out because of your kiss?" he grumbled under his breath, exasperated by her antics once more. "Stop joking around and-"

"But who says that I'm joking~?" she sing-songed, her lips twitching with mirth at his visibly vexed appearance. He glowered at her, unamused. "Okay, okay! I'll be good, promise. I'll be a _suuuperrrr_ good girl just for ya, Tsukasa~" Her suggestive purr carried all sorts of undertones but he schooled his expression and narrowed his eyes at her. She grinned lopsidedly at him with good humor – he was going to feed her well, after all.

"I'll believe that after I see all your work done."

"Huh? _All_ my work? D'ya wanna see pigs fly too while yer at it, Tsukasa?"

"…"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

So. Guess who **i)** got the bright idea to reread the entire series of Shokugeki no Souma these last couple of days, **ii)** proceeded to fall straight into a new pit of despair (not to be confused with the other previous pits) AKA fall for an unpopular ship with NO fandom presence whatsoever, and so **iii)** decided to further compound this mistake by writing for said hopeless ship?

 _Oui. C'est moi! C'est d'la merde!_

But seriously. I could not help myself; that little two page SnS Betsubara special featuring these two in middle school just stole my heart away, so that's that.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

…Anyway, while I'm not new to writing, this is my first time actively venturing into this fandom, so I'm still in the process of getting the various characterizations and personalities down. There is distressingly little content when it comes to the pairing of Eishi/Rindou, so I felt obligated to contribute somehow. A little. Somewhat. You know, just do my civic duty as an eternal fangirl and spread the _merde_ around a bit and hopefully get some of it stuck on other unwitting people also. _Viva la merde!_

Okay, excuse my (inner gay) French as well as the grossly inappropriate scatological humor. Also pardoning the puns. I'm stopping now.

As always, feedback will be much appreciated. Merci beaucoup. Muchas gracias. Domo arrigato. Kamsahamnida. Terima kasih. Xie xie ni!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3122

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/05/17

* * *

 **A plot most fowl**

* * *

The problem with growing up was the…fangirls.

Puberty came swinging at him with a vengeance during his first year in Tootsuki's high school division. He remembered being miserable; all croaky with lanky limbs and a body that seemed to never stop developing, resulting in a lot of chagrin and awkwardness that more or less boiled down to him basically walking around with two left feet all the time, or at least it had seemed that way to him. All that rapid growing was also taking its toll on his physical reserves, the cherubic softness of youth melting away to reveal the hard, lean muscles and a sleek, wiry, toned form as he started to come into his aquiline good looks.

And so, practically overnight, Eishi suddenly found himself the bewildered inspiration of a Tootsuki-wide fanclub and more ardent admirers than he knew what to do with.

The whole experience was quite traumatizing, truth to be told.

He had only ever wanted to be left alone to improve on his cooking and strive towards his goals of reaching the Elite Ten, but all of sudden, girls were _everywhere_ and they squealed at just about everything he did and constantly got underfoot of wherever he happened to be. It was extremely distracting and disconcerting; he was often startled by their actions and frequently had small panic attacks especially when they started ambushing him everywhere in school…and it was… _distressing._

It wasn't that he was unfamiliar with receiving admiration from the members of the fairer sex; back when he was still in middle school, even he had been hard pressed not to notice the gentle fawning that some of his female classmates were wont to lavish on him…but this extreme level of escalated _aggressiveness_ in high school was something else altogether.

 _Women were scary. Period._

And a whole gang of them pitted against him was akin to setting a pride of hungry lionesses against a quailing, cornered buck. _Women were very scary_. Had he already mentioned that?

Rindou, much to his aggravation, had been absolutely no help at all in that department. The redhead had cackled her behind off once she figured out why he was being jumpier and more wild-eyed than usual, and instead of helping him out like a good _friend_ should, she had barked some more with laughter before nonchalantly exposing _all_ of his secret hiding places to the slavering horde, mercilessly leaving him to his doom as the masses descended upon his catatonic and shell shocked form.

…For the next month or so, that _brat_ had been _his_ public enemy number one. He had never been so _mad_ at her before in all the years he had known her, but what she had done to him was a clear breach of trust as well as cruel and unusual torture, all rolled into one grave, horrible offence. He had almost _died_! Who else would struggle with her to reach the top of the Elite Ten if he kicked the bucket first, and in such an ignoble manner?! Death _ala_ stampede by fangirls _, really?_

She, however, seemed to view the whole thing like an incredibly humorous jest. His newfound sense of hostility towards her served to only tickle her funny bone more than induce actual upset, and for the reminder of that term, any class with the both of them in attendance became really _interesting_ , to say the least, as tension sizzled and they clashed in all the practicums with every ounce of skill and (wounded) pride each possessed, duking it out through the best medium they knew how.

Rindou had been _disgustingly_ cheerful that month, he remembered, whereas his sour mood had been hardly improved by having to put up with his stalkers, _er_ , admirers 24/7. Suffice to say, his…displeasure ensured that he was just a tad sharper and less tolerant to the antics of his more overly zealous followers. Somehow, he had always managed to remain unfailingly polite regardless of the situation forced upon him, but at the same time, he was also starting to firmly draw the line to indicate where it should _never_ be crossed, ardent fan or not. And surprisingly enough, Eishi soon discovered that if he became assertive enough, his wishes were almost always heard and obeyed unquestioningly.

 _What was this marvelous power that had been handed to him?_

Rindou had beamed at him like a proud mother. "Good, good. Yer learning~" she singsonged, meeting his surly glower with an unaffected, fanged grin. She had even tiptoed to ruffle his hair! Later on, he would realize that she had taught him how to deal with his problem in the only way that she knew how – by forcing him to face it head on, whether he liked it or not. She had always learned – and thus, taught – by the school of hard knocks, and though Eishi could not deny that her methodology was certainly effective (traumatizing too), he would have appreciated some warning and explanation before she just upped and sicced his entire fanclub on him.

Then, life sort of returned back to normal, more or less. He was still a bit miffed at his friend but grudgingly decided to forgive her all the same, though this was likely more for his own sake than for hers, since Rindou certainly had not felt like she had done anything wrong that needed forgiving in the first place.

The carefree girl went about life as she always did, with enthusiasm and great vigor, skipping classes every now and then especially when that notoriously short attention span of hers was caught up by something else altogether, constantly getting into trouble with the lecturers and even with some of the other students from the other years, much to everyone's consternation. But no matter how much trouble she got into, she would almost always be able to get herself out of it fully unscathed, like a cat landing instinctively on her four paws. She was cheerful and mischievous and seemed to float effortlessly through all the grueling classes that almost everyone was struggling with, and she also largely marched to the beat of her own drum. While she could not be considered ' _popular'_ by the usual definition, there was not a single soul in the entirety of Tootsuki who did not know of her name. Rather than popular, the more appropriate term to describe her would probably be ' _infamous_.'

Answering challenges and multiple Shokugeki seemed to stoke her blood and get all that adrenaline rush pumping, and so Rindou went around scraping with many amongst their cohort and even from those from the upper years with an almost feral joy for the competition. She didn't always win all the fights she picked, but she won most of them and derived great pleasure out of all of her experiences all the same. That utter willingness to throw herself headfirst into the most challenging battles and pit herself against the most difficult of opponents, _just for fun_ , caused her skills to evolve exponentially as she went along. Her growth accelerated at a phenomenal rate; by the end of their first year in the high school division of Tootsuki, her record winning streak for Shokugeki victories was only (barely) eclipsed by his own.

Their year mates called her a monster to her back for the decisively brutal way she _squashed_ her opponents, but sang his praises and hailed him a genius for doing the exact same thing. The double standard and level of hypocrisy was staggering, but she had never let that sort of thing bother her. If she had, she had certainly never given any indication of it. That was the thing about her; all the things that people said about her, she always seemed to be able to shrug them all away like she had never cared about those opinions in the first place. He would never have been able to do that in her position.

That unshakable level of confidence of hers was intimidating to many, the way she wore it so casually and brazenly. In hindsight, perhaps their peers would have gone easier on her if she was more the type to show more vulnerability, like a shrinking wallflower, but the mere thought of Rindou shrinking away from anything was a laughable one. That girl had always been bold and fearless and he had never seen her scared of anything. It took certain chutzpah, or strength of character, to behave the way she did. That self-possessed, easy saunter, that twinkle of barely veiled impishness and carefreeness in those golden, cat slit eyes, her fanged grin flashing across her pointed, almost vulpine features…

To date, he had never met anyone else quite like her before.

* * *

"Quick! Tsukasa, hide me!"

He barely had any idea what was going on before a familiar streak of red darted right up to him and dive bombed between his legs, successfully tackle sliding right under the partitioned desk which he had been occupying in the library. It was an impressive display of agility for someone who was wearing the skirt of her school uniform cut so high up her thighs as was the norm these days, and not only had she somehow managed to preserve her modesty despite her wildly unladylike action, she had also managed to avoid incurring any road rash in the process. She disappeared out of sight so neatly and quickly that he still had a good moment to look nonplussed before her pursuers arrived on scene seconds later. Those burly seniors looked dangerously angry as they thundered up to him, but he reschooled his expression, rising from his seat to meet them, a faintly enquiring expression on his face.

"Oi. Did you see a redhead run past just now?"

He had no obligation to abet her, truthfully speaking. This was especially so since he still hadn't forgotten her role in that incident with his fangirls a month or so back. This would actually be a great opportunity to get her back for the stunt she had pulled that time, but…

Eishi wordlessly pointed in the direction down the hallway, and apparently, that was enough of a confirmation for those hotheaded, flustered students. With a grunt of thanks, they were soon stampeding off on a fruitless wild goose chase that the white-haired boy had set them on. It was just as well that he had not had to _say_ a thing, because if confronted about it later, he would claim that he hadn't technically _lied_ , per se…

" _Psst_. Are they gone?"

Eishi glanced down in consternation, where Rindou had popped her head out from her hiding place and was carefully surveying the surroundings to make sure that they were indeed alone. It was a miracle that the attending librarian had not come bearing down on them earlier what with the ruckus that they had raised just now. He also wondered why he had just done what he had. The lavender-eyed fifteen year old had been quite certain that the most logical thing to do would be to open his mouth and out Rindou there and then, but instead, he had automatically covered for her before he even knew it.

"…What did you do this time?"

She crawled out from beneath the table and stood up, absently dusting herself off as she did so. He blankly noticed that she had her school blazer zipped all the way up to her neck, which was unusual in itself since it wasn't even _that_ cold today…

" _Mou_! Why d'ya always automatically assume that I've done something?"

Eishi said nothing to that, merely lifted his brow and moved to the next seat over. He had been doing some research for an extra credit class, but doubted that he would be allowed the peace and quiet to continue now that Rindou was around. He rather optimistically cracked open the reference book which he had intended to peruse, all the same…but sure enough, his companion plopped onto the chair which he had just recently vacated, curious as a cat and just as determined not to be ignored.

"Hey, hey. Whatcha doin', Tsukasa?" She leaned right into his space fearlessly and unabashed, peering at the page he was looking at. He had to lean back slightly into his seat to keep from getting a faceful of her hair. She pulled away soon enough, nose wrinkling at the amount of dull, bone dry text printed on what appeared to be every available surface on the paper.

"Shucks, you're _studying_?! Aw! The weather's so nice outside and you're stickin' yourself in this dusty library and wastin' the day away! C'mon; let's go play instead!"

He was about to open his mouth to retort that he was quite content where he was, thank you very much, when the vicinity of her jacket covered chest twitched with visible movement…and then _crowed_.

He turned his head mechanically to look at her, his expression growing deadpan. Meanwhile, whatever it was that she had smuggled under her clothes _crowed_ again, louder and more indignantly.

"…I don't want to know," he sighed. But of course, his admission must have been akin to a bleat of defeat to her, for her features brightened and she proceeded to undo the buttons of her blazer, and out promptly popped…a _chicken_.

It wasn't even a dead one, feathers plucked, blood drained, expertly cleaned and prepared, ready to be cooked. No. This was the sort of chicken that Eishi would rather have nothing to do with, unless he had to personally prep it himself for a class. The feathered avian looked about as pleased to see him as he did it.

"…Did you steal this chicken from those guys? Is that why you're running away from them? Because I can't say that I approve of this sort of fowl play-"

"They were gonna kill this 'lil guy and cook him up for dinner, Tsukasa! Look at him; _look_!"

He really didn't know what she thought he was already doing. She had shoved the scrawny rooster right up to his face; he couldn't _not_ look even if he wanted to. The bird, an adolescent _Jidori_ if he correctly recalled that lecture on domestic poultry breeds, awkwardly flapped its wings in his face. He flinched away, gazing warily at the bird, and then to its strangely earnest abductor, sparkling eyes and all.

"We're in a cooking school. Killing things to cook is part of the curriculum."

"Yeah, but does this fella looks like food to ya?"

He gingerly lifted one hand and nudged the chicken away before she started to push it right in his face again. "This is certainly not the best Jidori specimen I've ever seen… I hope they remembered to vaccinate him properly at least."

Thinking of vaccinations made him think of antibiotics for poultry, which promptly led his mind straight down the dangerous valley of avian flu and other related viruses. And Jidori were free range chickens, weren't they? Oh god, what if this bird was a carrier of some disease-

He was turning pale from his thoughts, though meanwhile, Rindou had already taken his silence for agreement. The good thing was that she had retracted her new feathered companion from his immediate vicinity and was tucking the chicken under her arm instead.

"I need to find a place to raise him!"

"You need to get rid of it before it dooms us all," he muttered, eying the animal like it possibly hosted some bird version of the Black Death. "Rindou, return it to those guys. We're not allowed to keep pets on Tootsuki grounds in the first place."

He might as well have been talking to himself for all the amount of attention she was paying to him. Her eyes lit up as an idea came to her.

"I know! A Shokugeki!" she crowed. "I'll go challenge those guys for their 'lil research clubhouse!"

"And what are you planning to stake in return?" he asked, vaguely curious, also wondering why he was still humoring her by continuing with this line of conversation.

She pointed to her chicken.

"I'll stake him!"

"I don't think anyone'd be willing to wager their entire research society in exchange for one measly chicken…which, if I may add, originally belonged to them in the first place before you saw fit to liberate it," Eishi pointed out slowly.

Rindou frowned a bit – dang it, he was right.

"I'll put up the chicken…and myself?" she asked, though speaking aloud more to herself than actually to him. She nodded, making up her mind there and then. "Yep. _If_ I lose, those guys will get the chicken and I'll join their little boys' club – that's more even now, right? _But_ if I win, I'll get the chicken and the clubhouse to raise it in!"

All this fuss for that scrawny bird. Eishi was flabbergasted, but he knew better than to try to get in her way. He also had no doubt that she would win her duel, watching as she skipped right out of the library now that she had a good idea of what she wanted to do next. He almost felt sorry for those poor chumps – they were going to lose their research group to her whims, and to further add insult to injury, their place was going to be used to raise the chicken which they had intended to turn into dinner.

Rindou waved cheerily at her bemused friend in farewell.

"Thanks, Tsukasa! Smell ya later!"

The next day, he would learn that she had indeed won her battle (no surprise there), and that she would happily get to house her chicken, whom she had decided to name Yakitori. ( _Really_?) She would proceed to raise the young bird to a robust adult within the next few months, and then, one day-

"…What do you mean, 'you _ate_ it?!'"

She shrugged, not the least affected by his incredulous question.

"He's a chicken! Of course he's for cooking and eating!"

He just looked at her, dumbfounded.

"In that case, why even did you save it those months ago?"

"'Coz he hadn't reached his full potential back then, of course! Yakitori's a good bird, very _very_ good, yummyyyy bird~" …Was she _salivating_? "It'd be a waste to eat him before he's fully grown! He had to level up first!"

He wanted to facepalm. Her sense of logic was making his brain do loop de loops. And more importantly…

"…Did you at least deworm it first? Are you really sure it's rated for human consumption?"

"Oh geeze, I already ate him and nothing happened! You're soooo _weird_ , Tsukasa. Always worrying about the strangest things! _Heh_."

"…I _really_ don't want to hear that coming from you."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Oh-ho. I was really pleasantly surprised by the unexpected number of readership (and fellow fans) for this pairing! Good going! This ship is not dead in the water, after all!

To all the readers (as well as the lovely anons whom I cannot PM privately to respond to your reviews), thank you so much for your kind and encouraging feedbacks. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter as well, since this upload can also be partly accredited to you guys for motivating me to write (and post) it at light speed, haha.

Do let me know if you have any questions about the plot, and I'd be delighted to address/discuss them!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, the timeline for this installment is set during their first year of high school, FYI. I wanted to establish/explore this comfortably companionable, easygoing nature of their friendship, since everything really starts evolving from there, after all.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

And yes. Rindou made yakitori out of Yakitori, just in case some of you really needed/wanted the confirmation. It was really delicious!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3441

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 18/05/17

* * *

 **The gift that keeps on giving**

* * *

Eishi was just wrapping up the end of a private lunch service for the Prime Minister of Japan and a few other diplomats when one of his assistants came up to him and discreetly whispered something in his ear. The thirty-three year old Michelin star chef had been mingling with his guests as per his usual practice after the last course of the meal had been served, gently enquiring about the comfort and satisfaction of his honored customers like the meticulous and conscientious host that he was, when he had been informed of some rather startling news.

"Tsukasa-san, we've got a…situation at the entranceway."

The lean, white haired male paused in the midst of receiving the enthusiastic compliments of some of the most powerful political figures in the country, his expression courteously schooled even as they raved and waxed poetic about the elegant, nine course degustation menu that they had just had the rare opportunity of sampling. Reservations for a table at Chef Tsukasa's only restaurant typically had to be made at least two months' in advance, sometimes even further back depending on the peak seasons. Not only were the tables exclusively limited in the small but exquisitely designed space, but the classy, upscale establishment was also amongst one of the handful in the entirety of Japan with the critical acclaim of having three Michelin stars awarded to it for the last eight years running. Just by the amount of care and scrupulous attention to detail that had been put into each and every dish that came out of Tsukasa Eishi's kitchen, it was blatantly obvious _why_ his place was so well sought after by culinary aficionados and just about anybody who knew their way around good food – the man, with his godly talent for bringing out the best of any ingredient he touched, was singlehandedly reshaping the definition of 'fine dining.'

But this was not about how well Tsukasa Eishi could coax the most delicate, beautiful flavors out of the food he made…

Eishi politely excused himself from his guests and turned his attention to his aide.

"Yes. What's going on out there?"

"…The police are here, and… _uh_ , your children are here, also."

"…What?"

The ivory complexion of the ridiculously beautiful man grew even paler with alarm, and he visibly wilted, almost turning comically grey in his concern for his offspring. Never mind that he had still had no idea what was going on; he who was prone to worrying had been fussing over his children ever since the moment they were born, and so this was really nothing new. Well, not quite _. The police involvement was new, though_. Poor Eishi blanched some more, his anxiety skyrocketing at all the possible implications. That graceful composure from earlier had been shattered, and without another word, he turned sharply and made straight out of the dining area, quickly striding down the hallway with a haste that was more appropriate for a flat out sprint. His assistant scrambled to keep up with him.

His frazzled appearance at the waiting area of his own restaurant was a bit less than impressive for the title and position he held as one of Japan's living culinary treasures, but that was the least of his concern at the moment. Sure enough, there were four figures waiting for him there.

"Tsukasa Eishi-san, sir? Are these your children?"

The pair of officers stepped away and revealed the wonderfully reassuring sight of the two younger, juvenile Tsukasa, seemingly safe and unharmed. Even at the age of eight, the older child was already a complete doppelganger of his mother. Wild, tousled red hair, glowing, squinty cat-slit eyes, a fanged ghost of a smirk painted across faintly impish, brightly intelligent features…

"Tou-chan!"

" _Tou_ - _channnnnn_!"

His youngest reached him first, diving straight for him in a silver streak. The six year old girl with his snow white hair and porcelain coloring had tragic tears welling up in her big puppy-like lavender eyes as she clung tightly to her doting parent with her small fists. Chouko was inconsolable as she cried her little heart out into her father's pants. It seemed like she had been carrying on for a while already, what with how visibly worked up she currently was. "P-Papa, s-save Chouko! Chouko did somethin' b-bad and now p-police-san's gonna catch Chouko an' put her away. P-Papa, Chouko don't wanna go to jail!"

In contrast to her panicking wails, her nii-chan did not seem as concerned. Hi'en tipped his head to the side and trotted up to his bewildered and flustered dad, the latter who was on one hand trying to placate his upset daughter, and on the other hand also trying to make sure that there was really nothing wrong with his son, not even a scratch. _Maybe he should call their pediatrician here just to make sure?_ He had the guy's number on his speed dial, as well as that of another backup physician just in case the first was unavailable, all in preparation for emergencies like this…

His children were still in their school uniforms – they were supposed to be at their elementary school at this time of the day, speaking of which. The entire turn of events was confusing, to say the least. He looked for the ones who could possibly shed some light on this unclear situation. Arms full, Eishi turned to the law enforcement officers and bowed politely to them. " _Aa_. Yes, I'm their father. Thank you for bringing them here. …May I ask what's going on? Did something happen at school?"

The pair of policemen shared a look that was part amused, part incredulous.

"…Five minutes ago, we found these two rolling up the curb in a car, right outside this restaurant. That one-" Here, the lead officer pointed to Hi'en, who was suddenly looking as innocent as could be. "-was in the driver's seat."

* * *

By the time Rindou finally arrived at the restaurant a couple of hours later, those police had already taken their leave. Apparently, they had been part of the official cavalcade escorting the Prime Minister and his group, and once Eishi's VIP guest heard what happened, he had a good laugh and, most importantly, also managed to convince his people to let this incident slide, since it was blatantly obvious that it was not born of mischief or ill-intent, but more out of childish naiveté and innocence.

Eishi had been very apologetic and also rather flabbergasted about the entire affair. He was also grateful, because when the full extent of the trouble his children had caused was revealed, he very quickly realized that it was something that could have ended up on the headlines of this evening's news, and not in the good way, either. The kids received a stern talking to from the police who had caught them in the act; Chouko largely bawled through the entire sitting even with Eishi beside her, and even Hi'en appeared suitably cowed at the end of the long lecture explaining why little eight and six year olds should be studying hard in school and not committing grand theft auto and underage driving, regardless of whatever reason they had.

It was to three glum faces that Rindou was being greeted with when she strode into the otherwise devoid dining area. This time of the year, Tsukasa typically performed only one meal service a day, usually a complete dinner course with the occasional luncheon like today, preferring to devote most of his attention to exploring ingredients and gathering inspiration for creating new dishes for next season's menu. It appeared that the wait staff had already taken their leave for the day, as did his aides as well as his maître d'.

"Eh, this looks like a really miserable party that we're havin'," she drawled by way of announcing her arrival. Three heads turned to her. Chouko had obviously been crying frantically earlier and now looked like a puffy faced zashiki-warashi, Hi'en was plainly sullen and maybe a tad red-eyed after getting thoroughly chewed out, and Tsukasa looked like Armageddon was nigh on hand and might start joining their children with the waterworks also.

In other words, it was just a normal day in the Tsukasa household.

Instead of delving straight into the main theme of the day, the attractive redhead lifted the fancy looking pastry box which she had been holding in her hand.

"Puppies~! Come check out what I got from Momo-chan's on the way here."

The fellow ex-Elite Ten member and Tootsuki alumni had the flagship store of her world class patisserie chain established not too far away from Tsukasa's neck of the woods in central Tokyo, and her sweet creations could turn even the sternest of frowns right side up. Reluctant interest flickered in the kids' gazes. They were raised from infancy on nothing but the best foods that their parents could provide, and that meant their palates were unusually refined, and they _loved_ the desserts that Akanegakubo was famous for.

She undid the elaborate ribbons and removed off the lid of the box with a flourish, revealing many charming, colorful pieces of delicately crafted macarons designed in cat shapes that great resembled a certain stuffed doll that the ex-Fourth Seat always carried around. The children's moods improved a bit, their expressions brightening, tension easing away from their small shoulders at the cheerful sight. Stepping up by where Eishi was seated, Rindou presented the treats to the two younger ones. Her exotic, slit-pupiled gaze glowed silently with amused fondness when they carefully took her peace offering. Her puppies were _so cute_. Her co-parent eyed her bemusedly but held his tongue. She suspected that he was already exhausted and overwhelmed by the day's excitement after working himself up into a fine lather, the poor man. She drew him a short distance away while the children were momentarily preoccupied with their snacks, enough that their conversation would not be heard.

"Ya okay? You look like you're gonna keel over more than you usually do."

There was just something about that sense of _familiarity_ in her casual concern that made him deflate like a balloon.

"I'm a terrible parent," he wasted no time bemoaning to her, all Mr. Doom and Gloom once more. "My son's only eight and already he has a run-in with the local authorities. I'm the worst parent _ever_."

Her lips twitched at his honest dismay. She barely managed to keep a straight face, but he caught the faint quiver of her shoulders and shot her a sharp, indignant glare.

"You think this is funny? _They gave him a ten year driving_ _ban_! I've never even gotten so much as a parking ticket in my entire life! Is it us? Did we do something wrong? How is this going to impact his future development? I can't even-"

While he was having a minor freak out, her urge to laugh was growing larger and larger. At last, she could not bear it anymore, reaching out to slap him on the back to snap him out of it before he could start rambling and spiraling off even more.

"What are you talkin' about, Tsukasa? It'll be fine! By the time the ban's over, Hi'en would actually be of age to take his driving license. It all works out, see? Not to mention, En-chan never actually possessed a driving license in the first place, being only eight and all. You're worrying too much!"

"You're not worrying enough," he retorted in response, grunting when she whacked him heartily upside the shoulder again in response. But despite all that, he was slowly calming, and significantly less wound up than before now that she was here – how she always managed to pull it off so effortlessly, he would never understand. For good or for bad, she was just plain _distracting_. She shot him a faint smirk, as if aware of his faint disgruntlement, her catlike eyes alit with quiet mirth.

"I think you worry enough for everyone, Tsukasa. C'mon, let's get this sorted out and over with. I wanna hear what the puppies gotta say."

"Will you _please_ stop calling them puppies…" But he followed her back to the table all the same, where she clapped her hands together and swiftly garnered everyone's attention.

"Okie dokie, let's talk 'bout what happened today, kiddos!" Rindou appeared quite cheerful, all things considering. It was almost inappropriate. But she had her way of disciplining the kids, so… "I saw your headmistress earlier, and she was telling me that you two were supposed to be having your afternoon naps when you snuck out of your classrooms. Sneaky, sneaky~ En-chan, d'ya understand what you did wrong today?"

The children froze at their mother's questioning. While Rindou did not sound like she was reprimanding them at all, her dancing, playful gaze was sharper than usual, watching them with a faint sternness that was usually non-existent in her happy-go-lucky demeanor. The children wilted, a bit.

"Mommie…S'not nii-chan's fault." Chouko's tiny voice rang out then, timid and a bit unsure. "Chouko…Chouko forgot to give Papa something this morning, so Chouko asked nii-chan to help…"

"S'not Chou's fault," Hi'en defended his baby sister in return, hurriedly polishing off his last bite of the macaron to do so. "I was the one who took sensei's keys, and I was the one who got us here."

" _How_ did you figure out how to drive in the first place, En?" Eishi interjected, still trying to unravel this particular mystery.

His boy shrugged. It wasn't really difficult. "I looked it up online. There was this five minute how-to video on Youtube, so…"

… _He_ _looked it up online._

His parents exchanged a long glance. Rindou looked like she was going to laugh again, and there was no concealing the fierce glint of maternal pride in her glowing eyes. This settled it; her babies were _awesome_. Eishi frowned at her though, before she could blurt out her thoughts and possibly encourage the children to further explore the life of crime and unlawfulness.

 _Boo_. He was _soooo_ straight-laced and boring. Why did she decide to have children with this man, again?

…Oh yes, he seduced her with his sexy cooking and somewhere along the way, things happened and she got knocked up.

(Funny thing was, if confronted, said seducer would protest vehemently and counterclaim that it was other way around that was the accurate version.)

"… _Hi'en_ ," Eishi breathed, already starting to turn ashen at the thought of all the horrifying things that could have befallen the children on the ten minute drive from their school to the restaurant. That they had somehow avoided any mishaps and that the young, underage driver had even managed to obey the traffic laws and navigate successfully through multiple intersections on the way here was nothing short of amazing. The lavender-eyed man went right to where his son was sitting and crouched down to eye level with the boy. "You heard what that policeman said, right? _Please_ don't do anything so dangerous again. You really gave me a huge scare today."

"Listen to your _Otou_ , En-chan," Rindou drawled as she drew up as well, and the boy looked from one parent to the other. "Look; he's so worried about you that all his hair has turned white."

Eishi's eyelid twitched at the minx's teasing. _Oh, he would get her back for that later!_

Her encouragement worked in tandem with his caution, as they always did, her warm levity a perfect counterpoint to his serious gravity, neither too light, nor too heavy. Hi'en bit his lip, but then his mother gently ruffled his hair, and just like that, his honest sentiments came flowing out.

"…I'm sorry, Tou-chan, Kaa-chan…" Came the boy's contrite murmur. "I didn't think that it would be such a big deal. I won't do it again, I promise."

Eishi reached out and squeezed his son's shoulder. Children were so _scary_. They had no compunction against flinging themselves headlong into danger, and his offspring were proving to be exceptional examples when it came to this particular endeavor, much to his everlasting dismay. He would probably be worrying about them until he was old and grey, at this rate.

"Chou-chan, what did you forget to give papa that's so important, hm?" Rindou queried, her curiosity piqued. In response, the little six year old fished out her hankie and daintily wiped her sticky fingers clean with the square of cloth, before she shrugged off her little backpack, unzipped it, and scrounged around for something. When she found whatever it was that she was looking for, she carefully climbed down her chair and wandered over to her brother and parents. She stopped beside her father and proceeded to present the latter the cutesy, painstakingly handmade card that she held in her hand. It was brightly colored with crayons. There was even a haiku messily (carefully) scrawled on there:

 _I am so hungry.  
Potatoes are very YUM.  
Papa feed Chouko!_

Not sure what to feel about his daughter's eloquent attempt at poetry, Eishi flipped open the card to see what was inside instead. A heap of glitter fell out and landed all over his pristine uniform.

"…"

"A good luck charm for papa! Chouko made it during art class yesterday but forgot it this morning." She raised her hands in the air and made a superhero pose from some cartoon she had been watching. "Papa, _banzai_! Please always make lots of yummy food and feed Chouko forever!"

The expression on Eishi's face was priceless.

 _Ah, children; the gift that keeps on giving._

Rindou could not help herself anymore. She burst into laughter.

* * *

" _Why_ did we ever decide to have kids?" Eishi mumbled that night as he climbed into bed and faceplanted rather unceremoniously onto his pillow, looking all too much like a pale, limp noodle. He just wanted this incredibly long day over with. Rindou was already settled in, lying on her side and watching her long-suffering partner. Her hand lifted towards him and she idly played with his hair, fingers slowly running through those pale, silken strands in a way that made him groan with appreciation.

"I'unno. Because they are fun to make?" she suggested slyly, and his ears tinged pink at her teasing. A husky laugh escaped her. "If you think two are bad, imagine if there were three."

He froze at her commentary, and then he turned somewhat woodenly to look at her.

" _Please_ don't tell me that you're pregnant again." He sounded faintly alarmed, but instead of being offended, she flashed him an amused look.

"I wouldn't dare _dream_ of springing a surprise announcement like that on you again, husband," she drawled. "Not since you straight up went and fainted on me that one time I did~"

He grumbled.

"For the last time, I did not _faint_. I was very exhausted and stressed out from the new restaurant opening and having to deal with all the critics and reviewers, so you caught me off guard."

" _Hah_. Off guard, my ass! You totally did. Laid out on the ground in five seconds flat. They were about to load you into an ambulance but then you woke up and decided to have an hour long existential crisis instead. Ya know, you're really pretty to look at and you cook really good, but you're also kinda wimpy too, aren't ya?" she observed good-humoredly.

" _Hah_ ," he mimicked her with tired mocking. She was never going to let him live that down, was she? "You married this wimp and had his kids too, excuse you. I think I get the last laugh."

She glanced askance at him, then rolled over and _stretched_ out against him. She lowered her head and tucked her face into the side of his neck…before she softly nipped him. He stilled, not that he actually needed the _reminder_ that he was sharing the bed of a wildly beautiful woman with a wicked sense of humor and a languid, raw sensuality that never failed to take his breath away. He concentrated on keeping his slowly fraying composure, his voice plainly level. The slow heat of desire welling up in his darkening gaze could not be concealed, though.

"And if you recall, you _biting_ me was how this whole thing got started in the first place."

The corners of her full mouth curled up, and she pressed lingering kisses along his exposed throat, the tip of her fang brushing teasingly across his taut, alabaster skin. She purred, soft, impish lips brushing against the sensitive shell of his ear. He swallowed.

" _Well_ …If you mind it so much, you can be the bitey one tonight~"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

…I didn't intend to spring out the EiRin!babies so quickly, but the characters sort of leapt in, kung fu kicked me in the face and proceeded to hijack the plot while I was still on the floor wondering what was going on. You know how this kind of things goes.

 _Anyway_.

Hi'en ( **飛燕** ) quite literally translates to 'flying swallow,' or rather, my preferred interpretation would be 'swallow in flight.' (…Yeah, I know – I'm _super_ extra. Just providing that dedicated service in case you guys need to be slapped in the face with more obnoxious EiRin ship feels - I'm 100% your go-to person, promise.)

Chouko ( **蝶子** ) translates to 'butterfly child.' If it also (not-so-coincidentally) sounds like 'choco,' eh, I think I'll leave you to make an educated guess as to which of those two parents was the one who decided to food-pun their own kid.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

This chapter was actually partly inspired by a news article that I've read online recently. So it's a true story, just in case some of you ever decide to give me grief about how it's _impossible_ for an eight year old to operate a car. No, mi amigos, apparently it's not impossible. Dangerous, yes. Impossible, not really. It's actually not very difficult to operate an auto transmission vehicle tbh, though I really think that kid is seriously badass for pulling it off. I don't even remember what I was doing when I was eight. Probably coloring or something equally lame.

By the way, the legal minimum age for driving in Japan is eighteen. Hence why Hi'en received that ten-year driving ban that Eishi freaked out so much over.

I also wanted to explore EiRin as parents. Eishi is definitely a very… _interesting_ parent, haha. Thankfully, Rindou is so chill and laidback so they really balance out each other when it comes to sharing parental responsibilities!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _Characters' ages in this installment:_

Tsukasa Eishi: 33 y.o.  
Kobayashi Rindou: 33 y.o.  
Tsukasa Hi'en: 8 y.o.  
Tsukasa Chouko: 6 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Just a teeny tiny reminder: the 'Peerless' series will consist of a random mishmash of EiRin moments/adventures throughout the span of their lives. So that means I will be skipping up and down and all over the timeline (sometimes even crossing over to AUs), so do try to keep an open mind and expect the unexpected, yeah.

Last but not least, give me love! Give me concrit! Tell me what you think! Or just yell at me about your love for this ship so that I can yell it back at you! You can also yodel if you want, I don't mind! Don't be shy! We're all in this togetherrrrrrrr!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 2618

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 25/05/17

* * *

 **Dream a little dream**

* * *

It was business as usual in the office as Eishi went about determinedly trying to make a dent in the towering stacks of paperwork that constantly surrounded him in an utterly menacing manner. This time of the year, it was getting so bad that even in sleep, he had nightmares of being relentlessly pursued by his endless responsibilities through fields of anthropomorphic ingredients asking him to cook them deliciously, and ludicrous as the scenario was, it was nowhere near as amusing when he happened to be trapped in those alarming sleep visions. He was twitchier than usual, almost bone white from stress, but he dared not stop, all the same.

He had long since given up on trying to conquer this battle of attrition, well aware that there was no way that a decisive victory would ever happen, not with how the current system of Tootsuki worked. Where just about every important aspect of decision making for the world class culinary academy had to go through the authorized channel of the Elite Ten first before anything could be done. Where just about everything that his fellow Elites had worked on had to be further approved and officially processed by him before the motions could be passed. The amount of administrative work he had to plow through day in and day out was staggering – and it was a miracle that he had any time left to develop his cooking, or even keep up with his course work. Nobody had told him about this entirely demanding set of obligations that came contractually with being in the position of power at the top of the Tootsuki food chain; if he had known back in middle school that this was what being First Seat entailed, he might have had given a more careful second thought about his future aspiration before fully committing to it.

…Oh, but who was he _kidding_.

For the sake of scaling new heights in his cooking, for the privilege of exploring new frontiers in the wide and endless expanse of the culinary world, for the right to access unlimited resources; the rarest ingredients, priceless, invaluable tomes and knowledge at his fingertips, he would dig in and he would endure. Even if he had to suffer constant insomnia, even if there were always endless problems waiting for him to solve, often causing him no end of anxiety and grief, _even if he had to sell his soul to the devil_ , he would do whatever it took. It is extreme heat and pressure that turn coals into diamonds, and he is determined not to break, at least not until he had succeeded in what he had set out to fulfill, this White Knight on his Holy Crusade.

Now, all that was left to do was _survive_. Survive until the end of the year, where graduation was finally in sight and he could pass on the baton of his supposedly exalted position as well as all of its many endless burdens to an unwitting successor. At last, he would finally be free to pursue his goals in earnest, with all the connections and necessary frameworks that he had sacrificed the bulk of his high school life for set in place, ready to support his future endeavors. He could hang on until then. It would not be too long now.

Rindou rolled onto her stomach on the couch and stretched out, stocking-ed feet kicking idly behind her, attention lazily split between her beleaguered colleague and the television before her, volume muted, playing some nature documentary about nesting groups of emperor penguins in the South Pole. It was a program that she had already watched before sometime past, and so she ended up idly studying Tsukasa for a while too, as he mumbled under his breath and tried to keep ahead of his inbox. So long as the rate of his 'out' pile was filling up marginally faster than his 'in' pile, he would consider his day a good one.

It was really boring to watch him stuck in the same position, hunched over his desk like an overworked salary man, expression blank, doing the same thing with routine, mundane repetition, even a few hours later. His pale white hair was sticking out every which way from all the times he had ran his fingers through them in frustration, he was a bit wild eyed, scowling, uniform rumpled, loosened tie flapping every which way – he looked more like a madman than a noble knight of the realm at this point. Rindou wondered what his ardent fans would say if they could just see him now…

He definitely was a lot more fun and interactive to watch over a prep counter and a stove, that was for sure. Wayyyyy cooler, too.

"Ey, Tsukasa, I've been tryin' to figure out something," she drawled, still brazenly lounging about like a bored feline, breaking her quiet streak for the first time since she wandered into his office that afternoon.

He did not even take his eyes off of the document that he was currently, diligently perusing, trying to get as much done as he could before he sputtered out of energy. A vein throbbed in his temple.

"Good for you. But can you figure it out quietly over there – I'm kind of busy with something right now."

"I mean, it's _you_. I don't understand at all," she continued to speak airily over his mutterings, her slit-pupiled eyes still intently studying him. "You're kind of a weird one, the more I think 'bout ya…"

Her words could be mistakenly construed, the way she spoke as if he took up a lot of space in her mind. His reading slowed, and his brow knitted. He would really prefer _not_ to be drawn into conversation right now, but could one ever successfully ignore a cat? At best, an effort most futile. At worst, an effort resulting in destructive consequences, _and_ also futile.

"The only weird thing around here is how I appear to be the only one in the entire Elite Ten actually doing my work right now," he uttered absently, picking up his pen and briskly putting down his signatures on one form (plus three duplicates) before setting the completed file in his outbox and reaching for a new document.

"No, _dummy_. It's your tie, your tie!" she insisted, sitting up on the couch and crossing her legs in a lotus position on the cushion. She propped her chin on the flat of her palm, her body angled in his direction in order to facilitate conversation. "See; people either wear their ties properly or not at all. What's with you and the half ass way that you always wear yours?" Case in point, she gestured to him, where sure enough, the loop of his red and violet blue striped school tie was loosely hanging around his unbuttoned collar, and the tongue of the fabric was carelessly tossed over one shoulder. She squinted at him.

"Ya know, ya kinda look like one of those overworked office worker-ojisan who hits up izakayas to drink all night and then pass out in trains."

He twitched, and stopped trying to struggle through that pounding migraine plaguing him in favor of trying to understand the proposal laid out on his desk. His eyes were burning. His head was throbbing, and he was utterly miserable, which explain his heightened level of snarkiness at the moment.

"Really? That explains why I'm feeling a certain level of commiseration and sympathy towards those individuals." His energy level decided to plummet and bottom out completely then, and with a groan, he faceplanted onto his desk. "Passing out sounds like heaven right now," he mumbled, his expression looking rather pallid with exhaustion.

She tipped her head to the side and studied him for a moment, her golden gaze glimmering with something that looked suspiciously like humor. At last, she spoke. "…Tsukasa, c'mere."

He slowly swiveled his head to look at her, his pale lavender gaze tinged with faint suspicion. "Why? What for?"

She grinned innocuously and simply beckoned with her free hand for him to come hither. He narrowed his eyes at her, as if trying to figure out what she was up to this time. "Just get your butt over here, will ya? I'm trying to help, promise~"

He was naturally still filled with some doubts, but then again, it wasn't as if she could do anything much worse to him that he wasn't already experiencing right now. The First Seat hauled himself out of his chair and plodded over to her, and the moment he was within reach, she stretched out, grabbed him by his arm, and pulled him down beside her on the couch. She scooted further down to the end of the furniture and coaxed him to follow her directions.

"Lie down here."

"What-"

She wasn't taking 'no' for an answer, nor was she patient enough to wait for him to decipher her intention. He was shoved down on his back by a firm, no-nonsense grip on his shoulders, and briefly disoriented, it took him a beat or two to figure out that she was pillowing his head with her thighs, and the rest of him was stretched out along the settee. Too tired to even protest or struggle, he just looked straight up into her glowing cat eyes.

"…Is this even a good idea," he deadpanned.

She shushed him. "Don't knock it until you've tried it, Tsukasa! You're lucky I'm extending this exclusive privilege to ya just for today; Rindou-sama gives _amazing_ massages! Now, shut your eyes and pretend that you're somewhere else!"

"…Must I, really?"

She hissed at him in a mock threatening way, and he gave in resignedly. Dutifully obeying her bossy demands, he closed his eyes and demonstrated a surprising amount of trust in her. Or maybe he was just completely wrung out and had no more energy to care too much anymore.

Her slim hands, feminine but filled with vibrant strength, stroked his hair, slender fingers carefully combing through those disheveled, moonshine white strands, her touch surprisingly mellow. And…enjoyable. Her blunt nails, trimmed short for hygiene just like the rest of them who often had to handle food, scraped lightly against his scalp, the pads of her fingers gently digging into his crown, then gradually sliding forwards and massaging his aching temples in tiny, fluid circles. Unconsciously, he started to relax. It actually felt…really _good_.

She also used the heel of her palms, and then her knuckles as well to apply a gentle pressure against the back of his skull, cradling, slowly working her way up, and then once more down again to his nape. Dexterous, agile digits rubbed the back of his neck, firmly kneading along the strained group of tightly bunched muscles, gradually releasing the soreness and the stiffness trapped there. A deep, appreciative sigh slipped from him, painful tension bleeding from between his shoulder blades, bit by bit. She smirked faintly at his telling response.

"Good, right? _Right_? Rindou-sama learned this skill from all the times she was mixing spices into minced meat. You're the first human Rindou-sama is practicing on, but you're welcome~"

"… _Please_ stop talking," he mumbled, growing drowsier by the minute. A lazy, content pleasure was slowly unfurling within him, dulling the intensity of that vicious headache from earlier and negating its throbbing effects. He was going completely limp. She had always seemed so rough and tumble; he would never have thought that she was capable of such gentleness…or that she would be willing to demonstrate it to him, in ways other than in her cooking.

Amused by how he seemed to be momentarily catatonic under her tender ministrations, she started to hum softly instead; some off-keyed tune that sounded vaguely familiar...like he had heard it from somewhere before…

…It was quite pleasant. The air in his office was quiet for a while, companionable. Peaceful.

Just when she was starting to think that he might have drifted off, he spoke, eyes still shut, blissfully lost in the magic of her warm, supple hands.

"…It's because sometimes I need to look presentable."

" _Hmm_?"

"…My tie. It's because I need to look presentable for when I'm forced to go up to address the student body during assembly, or make a public announcement, or even attend a faculty meeting. All the formal events that require a proper showing, really."

Her eyes lit up in realization – he was answering her question from before.

" _Huh_ , I knew all that already. Though you didn't actually have to keep wearing the tie when you don't need it, right?"

"No, I do," he insisted, voice drifting, as if he was fighting slumber.

"Why?"

"They go missing if I don't. Lost quite a few that way already…"

She snorted softly, tickled by his reasoning.

"What; so the safest place to keep your tie is around your neck, is that it?"

"…I _hate_ ties. They flop into my soups, get stuck in my pasta machine, get _everywhere_ …"

She snickered some more at his sleepy, disgruntled mumble, but then he fell silent again, already dozing off. She continued to pet his hair softly even as his breathing evened out, quietly carding her fingers through the silken locks, her attention lingering on the television, still mutely playing that documentary. Her rich voice was pitched low and filled with wondering amusement when she murmured.

" _Ne_ , Tsukasa. D'ya know that there are some cultures in this world that eat penguin eggs? I wonder what they taste like. Prepare some for me to try one day, okay?"

* * *

He came to an hour or so later to find himself alone in the office. He was still lying on the couch, but Rindou had long gone. The room was quiet, the television and lights switched off, and only the gentle, near imperceptible hum of the AC could be heard. Outside, the hues of the afternoon skies were gradually darkening to the colors of dusk. He stirred, and found his vision partially obscured by a blurry something. Reaching up, he plucked off the bright orange Post-It note that had been unceremoniously stuck on his forehead, and the familiar, feminine scrawl on the small piece of sticky paper made him shake his head in faint amusement.

 _You owe me now~ :)_

He slowly sat up, and the jacket that had been thrown over his torso slipped down onto his lap with a soft rustle. That short nap, combined with whatever it was that Rindou had done to relax his nerves beforehand, had worked wonders. He felt more alert now, and refreshed. That blinding headache from earlier was but practically a faint, unpleasant memory. He speared a hand through his tousled hair, looking around absently as he grew more lucid. The pale haired First Seat noticed the other school blazer then, neatly folded into a padded square and that which had served as his headrest in Rindou's place, and upon closer inspection, he realized that it was his own…which meant that the one that currently covered him was likely hers.

It was.

And when he picked it up curiously, the very faint, very mild fragrance of her shampoo tickled his nose. _Strawberries_.

Eishi hurriedly set the jacket aside, feeling vaguely self-conscious for even briefly entertaining the reflexive thought that _she smelled nice._ He slowly stood up, lean, wiry form unfolding from the settee with casual grace, stretching out fully as the very last remnants of sleep finally fell away from his senses. Lavender eyes sharpened with keen awareness, and he turned back to his desk, ready to resume the battle against his paperwork once more.

Alright, then.

Naptime's over. Time to get back to work.

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

This drabble came up when I was pondering Eishi and his tie, as well as that strange way he wears his uniform.

Why even bother putting on a tie if you're going to wear it in a permanently half assed way? He could have just done away with it altogether since Tootsuki isn't even _that_ strict on uniform regulation in the first place. And then there is that quirk of his where he always automatically flips his tie over one shoulder. The only logical explanation I can deduce from that kneejerk reaction is that he's likely so used to the damned thing getting in his way all the time that he immediately gets it out of his way the first thing he does…which once again circles back to my first question of _why_ he even bothers wearing a tie in the first place if it bothers him so much…

So weird!

Anyway, long story short, this installment is more or less my take/headcanon on Eishi's love/hate relationship with his school tie, haha. Do feel free to share your thoughts and theories with me!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I like writing normal day-to-day/slice-of-life EiRin moments, and in this one, they are obviously third years, and while they are _not_ together-together yet, some things are slowly maybe starting to fall into place, bit by bit. I quite enjoy exploring the many little, tiny discoveries of growing _awareness_ slowly towing the characters towards _that_ eventual moment of inevitability, haha. But don't worry, the good parts will be coming along soon enough also!

I think you guys will like the next chapter, which should be coming up shortly! Now, please feed the hungry me with your comments and make my day with all the shippy EiRin feels! :)

Happy midweek, and thanks for reading and supporting, as always!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3964

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/05/17

* * *

 **Part I: If you persevere, you'll have stew**

* * *

She was in the midst of trying to pack as quietly as possible when she inadvertently drew him from his slumber. In the first place, he had always been something of a light sleeper so her efforts had been ultimately futile despite her good intentions. Stirring, he groaned and stared groggily at the darkened ceiling for a few beats, lines faintly visible in the semi-darkness thanks to the bathroom light spilling dimly into the unlit bedroom, trying to gather what was available of his intellect that was active at this ungodly hour.

The muted sounds of her movements rustling briskly around the room niggled at his senses until he could not contain his rising curiosity anymore.

"What…are you doing?" His mumble was husky and sleep laced, and a tired squint at the glowing, digital clock sitting on the side table indicated that it was still in the _very_ early hours of the morning? Oh gods. _Why_.

The answer to his question became obvious once he rolled over to get a better view of what she was up to now. He came awake very quickly after that, visibly startled by the implications of her action. She was packing a suitcase - was she planning to _leave_ , just like that? Had they not agreed to give this whole 'living together' thing a proper try, this time? She had seemed content with their domestic arrangement so far, but had she changed her mind? Frazzled, he jackknifed upright on the bed, hair still sticking up every which way from sleep, looking quite alarmed.

" _Rindou_?" There was a faintly bewildered, unsure quality in the tone of his voice, and she turned to look at him, in the process of tucking a toiletry bag into the side compartment of her trolley luggage. The redhead had her long hair tied up in a high, youthful looking ponytail, and despite it being two in the morning, she looked rather energetic – all bright eyed and bushy tailed. She also looked like she was in a fantastic mood…which usually did not correspond to the temperament of someone who was about to run off on their significant other in the middle of the night and go on the lam.

The whole thing was rather confusing to poor Eishi. The more information he silently processed, the more nothing made sense.

"Oops. Sorry, Tsukasa, I didn't mean to wake ya," she chirped, at the same time busy trying to fit a small stack of clothing into her bag. Watching her pack away her stuff was making his stomach twist with anxiety and uneasiness. "Go back to sleep; I'll be quieter, promise."

…Was she kidding? How was he supposed to go back to sleep while knowing that she was ready to bail? The expression on his face was taut, pale with echoing disquiet.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, lavender gaze sharpening with an unmistakable glint of stubborn intent. He might _seem_ passive most of the time, drifting off to his own world somewhere dreaming up new dishes and figuring out how to complement and showcase his ingredients in the best light, but hidden well behind that reserved, placid veneer lurked a persistent tenacity that once awoken, would not rest until he had achieved his goals.

To date, there were probably less than a handful of things in this world that could rile him so. Of those, the first was his drive and passion for the culinary arts, that which would continuously spur him to reach for the top, to higher and greater heights.

The second was Kobayashi Rindou.

The girl whom he had known for more than half of his entire life, the woman who held sole claim to his affections, the mother of his yet unborn child.

…Like hell he was going back to sleep when she was getting ready to skip out of his life _again_ , easy as you please.

It had taken a lot of talking and quick maneuvering (read: creative stonewalling) on his part to convince her to put her globetrotting lifestyle on semi-hiatus to move in with him instead. It had taken a good month or so before she reluctantly yielded, though it was probably more out of consideration for the wellbeing of the baby nestled in her stomach than anything else. Thankfully enough, most of the filming for the food and world-travel program that she hosted had already been completed, which meant that she did not have to jet around every few days anymore even if she wanted to continue working on the post-production parts with her crew.

The next thing he needed to do now was to somehow convince her to marry him, which sounded a lot easier _in theory_ since he was supposed to be quite the catch if the media's opinion held any weight, but of course Rindou had never given paid much attention to what other people thought. It still boggled his mind a bit, how she hadn't really minded having his kid but wasn't all too keen on getting hitched to him as a direct, most logical reaction to her pregnancy by him.

" _Huh? We don't actually need-NEED to get married! I can have this kid just fine even on my own, ya know? …'Sides, I kinda like the idea of Junior being a Kobayashi~"_

He wondered why he was starting to feel more like the aggrieved maiden being abandoned at the metaphorical wedding altar than she.

The woman, now roughly twenty weeks along, had a noticeable little bump protruding from her middle and stretching her sweater somewhat, but beyond that, still moved around with a casual, feline grace which she was known for. She was beautiful, he thought not for the first time. Other men could only dream of having her, _knowing her_ , the way he did. But even that just wasn't enough for him anymore, he had realized for a while now. He wanted to keep her.

Finally done with her packing, she flipped the lid of her suitcase shut and started to zip it shut. Then, she strolled over to his side, plopped down unceremoniously on his lap, and embraced him tightly. He was a bit rigid, but after a pause, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, nose digging into her hair, very reluctant to let go of her now that he had her in his life.

"I've got to go. I'm sorry. I was going to write you a note…but I can't take it anymore, Tsukasa," she murmured mournfully.

He started to grow stiff again. Her words did not bode well. _She was going to write him a_ _ **note**_ _? Was she serious?_

It sounded like she was saying goodbye.

"…You said that you would stay," he reminded her with a hollow slowness. He paused, silently struggling, briefly closing his eyes in an effort to control his tumultuous unhappiness before he continued. "You promised that we would try to do this _together_."

She pulled back to look at him. The way his eyes were focused intently on her made her shiver, just a bit. They were typically rather distant and detached, but now, there was a fierce fire that blazed within the light purple hues as he stared at her. Oh, wow. He was practically _glaring_. She didn't quite understand why he was so vehement about her departure. He had grown a lot more protective of her once he learned of her pregnancy, but it wasn't as if she had suddenly became invalid. She was growing a whole new human in her, _yes_ , but she could deal with all that alongside with her usual stuff.

He was starting to look all stark and kind of stressed out again, the poor man. She shouldn't have woken him since he had come home pretty late; the dinner service he hosted had taken longer than usual to wrap up that evening. She fondly petted his cheek, then pressed a kiss into the side of his neck.

"You're being silly. We don't have to do _everything_ together. You're busy with the restaurant and s'not like I've got any work to do right now. I'll be back in a few days. I just seriously _need_ to get my borscht fix. _Urgh_. I'm getting _sooooo_ hungry just thinking about it."

… _Huh?_

Eishi just stared at his girlfriend (future fiancée?) for the longest time. She eyed him back, one brow lifted. What was the problem with him now.

"…What?"

" _What_."

The white haired man was starting to wonder if he was possibly still asleep and was currently dreaming up this whole entirely ludicrous scenario. He looked at her grimly.

"…You said that you were leaving."

She nodded vehemently and without any shame, catching a glimpse of the digital clock as she did so. "Yeah, I am! _Shucks_ , I've really got to go soon. That borscht-"

"You _packed_ your suitcase."

She looked at him, bemused by his oddly emphatic observation.

"Huh? I can't just fly off to _Russia_ in my pajamas, Tsukasa, as much I may want to. I'd freeze my butt off! But seriously, I managed to get a really good ticket at the last minute so I reallllyyyyy got to get to the airport soon if I want to make my flight-"

"To get borscht," he interrupted, now starting to sound less desolate and more nonplussed. He was still watching her intently with that sharp, piercing gaze though, and she nodded, now getting a bit confused as well.

"Yeah…? There's this little shop just at the outskirts of Moscow that makes the _most_ delicious Russian beet soup and I've been thinking about it for the last couple of weeks already. I can't help it anymore, it's driving me crazy. Tsukasa, I _need_ to have it-"

In response to her food-addled rambles, he abruptly folded his arms around her and all but crushed her to him, much to her shock. _Okay…?!_

" _Heyy_!" she squeaked, flailing comically. "Fragile! Handle with care! I've got a banana-sized human being living in my belly right now!"

"I thought you were _leaving_ ," he mumbled into the side of her neck. His unexpectedly strong display of affection took her aback, just a bit. Her own hands came up over his back, arms slowly curling around his broad shoulders.

"You thought-" she broke off suddenly, finally realizing what he meant. The rest of the pieces quickly fell into place. _Oh_. "…Tsukasa, ya dummy. I wouldn't leave you in the middle of the night and only leave behind a note."

…Never mind that she had been about to leave him in the middle of the night and would have left behind a note if he hadn't woken up like he had.

She looked a bit embarrassed when he simply swiveled his head and looked at her pointedly.

"Ya know what I mean!" she blustered. "'Sides, I'm pregnant. How far can I go?"

"…You were about to jaunt off to _Russia_ ," he muttered unimpressively back, promptly dismantling her flimsy argument in one fell swoop. Now that the tension from this ridiculous misunderstanding had been neutralized, his fatigue was creeping back with a vengeance. He wilted. This woman was going to be the death of him-

"I _am_ about to jaunt off to Russia," she corrected, squinting suspiciously at him now. "Don't even try to stop me, Tsukasa. I'm getting my hands on my portion of borscht even if I have to fight you, don't think I won't."

She had been remarkably independent and self-reliant throughout her pregnancy so far, so much so that he really did not have much to do other than keeping the usual prenatal checkup appointments with her and making sure that she was meeting her daily dietary requirements. He had heard horrific tales of other fathers bemoaning about all the strangest demands that their expecting wives had imposed on them at the darnedest hours of the night, but if Rindou had any unusual demands that she needed fulfilled, she usually went off and got them settled herself. No fuss, no problems.

It left him with the most disconcerting, uneasy feeling of being entirely superfluous in this relationship… _not_ the greatest combination for someone who was also constantly prone to over worrying.

"…I'll go," he volunteered, and she looked at him skeptically. "I'll fetch your stew for you."

She puffed out her cheeks, frowning and shaking her head mulishly.

"… _Nuh-uh._ Offer declined. I'm not gonna settle for stale borscht. It has to be freshly made! Right off the stove!"

He sighed, _deeply_. Nothing was _ever_ going to be easy with her, was it? He wondered if this was how salmon felt like, exhaustively struggling upstream in order to breed and spawn the next generation.

"Counteroffer. I'll find that little shop just at the outskirts of Moscow, retrieve that recipe, and then I'll come back here to make that best and most delicious borscht for you. Better?"

Her bright, golden eyes actually grew dewy at his promise.

"You'd do that?" she breathed, clutching the front of his shirt tightly. "For me?"

He didn't think that she had looked half as touched when he had proposed marriage a few weeks back as she did right now. That reminder was rather depressing, but he was stoically determined to man up and win this battle of attrition, regardless of his false start.

"Yes."

" _Deal_." She leaned in and smooched him exuberantly. " _You're the best_. I'd offer to have your baby but that kind of already happened," she quipped teasingly, and his lavender gaze ran quietly over her impish features.

"Rindou?"

"Yeahh~?"

His hands cupped her beloved face, his long, adroit fingers exquisitely gentle as they cradled her warm cheeks. He slowly leaned in and brushed his lips over her forehead. It was but a chaste, tender contact, but it made her heart skip several beats all the same. He had that wondrously hot, dizzy effect on her, this marvelous and vexing ability to stir her up with even the most innocuous of gestures.

"I _need_ you to need me more."

It was an _order_.

He pulled back carefully and looked deeply into her glowing gaze. Sometimes, it seemed to him that the only way to get her full attention was to catch her and _make_ her look at him.

She was definitely looking now.

"Okay?" he asked quietly.

She stared at him for the longest time, as if she was silently trying to make up her mind about him.

"…Okay," she agreed, leaning forward to close the distance between them, to peck him on the lips. "Though can I preface my agreement by saying that you're so _weird_ …but it's the mysterious kind of irresistible weird that makes my lady parts tingle…"

He could not help but huff a laugh at her frank commentary.

"Rindou…shut up."

* * *

 **Part II: How do you prefer your eggs**

* * *

Some two years later, they were back to a very familiar situation once more.

At least, this time, there were no misunderstandings and crossed signals to muddle through, so that was less grief for Eishi to put up with.

"Tsukasa. Psst. _Tsukasa_. Wake up."

The familiar sound of Rindou's voice filtered into his sleep, accompanied by her hands quite literally shaking him awake. He roused almost immediately, though his mind was still a beat or two behind, not fully up and running yet.

"… _What_ …? What is it?" he murmured groggily, reaching out towards his expecting mate. "…What's wrong? Do you need a doctor? Are we having the baby now?"

Then, the rest of his cognitive abilities caught up to him, and he remembered that Rindou was still not _that_ far along yet. His hand brushed instinctively against the gentle swell of her belly, currently five months along in her pregnancy. Their daughter certainly wasn't about to be making her appearance anytime soon, thankfully enough. _Well, then._ If it wasn't this baby, then what about the _other_ one…

"…Is it En?"

Rindou shook her head. "No. En-chan's still asleep. But I can't sleep. Just can't get comfortable." She wriggled closer and pressed her face into the crook of his shoulder, sighing miserably. He made space for her automatically, shifting subtly, arm curling lazily around her torso, pulling her close. His palm rested over the taut bump of her stomach, the pad of his thumb absently caressing her bare skin. The hem of her nightshirt had ridden up again, revealing her long, milky legs and panty clad bottom. Her beautiful red hair, loose and unbound, spilled everywhere amongst the sheets in silken crimson waves. Her eyes glowed a near preternatural shade of gold in the semi-darkness as she peered at him. She did not have a very content look on her face at the moment, he thought even as he turned his head absently and pressed a kiss over the crown of her head. He closed his eyes briefly, and was about to sink back into slumber when she stirred.

She mumbled unhappily against him. "M'hungry."

He was silent for a while, and then he responded, though his eyes were still shut. "…What do you feel like having? Do you want me to make borscht again?"

She had practically lived and breathed the Russian soup stew during the second half of her pregnancy with Hi'en, and Eishi had almost expected their son to be part borscht when she finally got around to having him. Their friends had half joked that all that beet was probably what had dyed Hi'en's hair a deep, fire engine red in the womb. He should not be too surprised that this same craving was going to start up again now that Rindou was midway through this second pregnancy…

But surprisingly enough, she shook her head.

"No…" she whispered, gagging a bit at the thought of the cold, sour concoction. "Urgh, my stomach's heaving at the thought of borscht. Don't remind me; I think I've had enough to last me a lifetime."

Eishi wasn't about to disagree. That borscht recipe was good, one of the best he had ever seen prepared in fact, and that which he had then subsequently adapted to further enhance the flavor of the ingredients – but after Hi'en's birth, the white haired man had also been quietly relieved that he no longer had to keep preparing it on a near daily basis.

"…Eggs," Rindou uttered then, decisively. She nodded against his shoulder. "I'm craving eggs. I think."

"Eggs?" he echoed. That was a surprisingly simple request. He had half expected to be sent off somewhere to procure some exotic ingredient…or recipe…but best not jinx himself now. "Any particular way that you want them done?"

She shrugged, and her hand covered his as she rested it over her stomach as well. He started to lazily rub her belly. She liked that.

"…No idea yet, though definitely _not_ fertilized like what you've done to _my_ egg, for sure," she interjected slyly, snickering with amusement at the way he snorted quietly at her in consternation.

"I'm craving fluffy, yolky, eggy, protein-y goodness. Fried, scrambled, boiled, poached… Sprinkled over with a dash of salt and pepper… A bit fishy…" She was beginning to salivate at the mental picture that her own words were conjuring. "Yep. I wanna eat eggs. Penguin eggs."

….

… _Huh?_

He opened his eyes. Swiveled his head to look at her. Just in case he had heard wrongly.

"You want _what_?"

She was looking at him expectantly. "Eggs? Penguin eggs? Ya know, those funny looking waddling flightless tuxedo birds that lives at the South Pole?"

"…I _know_ what penguins are, Rindou." He exhaled loudly through his nose, trying to find the proper words to express his growing incredulity. "…And where on earth am I supposed to go and find you their eggs to eat? It's not like they stock them on the shelves in the supermarkets."

Penguin eggs. She really, _seriously_ , wanted to eat penguin eggs. This was clearly even worse than the borscht incident from two years ago. Why was she so weird? More importantly, why did he decide to settle down with this weird woman and think that it was a good idea to have children with her?

She looked at him with her large, beseeching eyes then, those beautiful, golden cat-slit irises incredibly compelling and not the least ashamed to silently beg him for food. Yes. That was _why_. He wanted to groan in dismay. He was fighting a losing battle, he just knew it already.

"Tsukasa Eishi, you said that I can depend on you and that I should _need_ you more!" she demanded, sitting up to glower at him. "I _need_ you to feed me, husband!"

She wasn't wrong. And he wasn't keen on going on back on his word. Also, the thing was, she did not often _need_ him to get things done for her, so…

He sighed. Then reached up with one hand to scrub at his face. His reply was somewhat muffled (and very much resigned) as he spoke.

"…Alright, I get it." He was giving into her way too easily, most would think. And they would be right. But then again, he had never been able to say 'no' to her in the first place. He reached over to the bed stand to blindly feel for his cellphone, then picked it up and turned it on, squinting at the bright backlight as he started to scroll through his contacts. "…I'll get you those eggs. Just wait and let me ask around to locate a proper, legitimate supplier first-"

She cheered at his agreement and all but threw herself into his arms, her exuberant reaction nearly causing him to drop his phone on his own face in the process. He sputtered in protest, but caught her all the same.

" _Oooh_ , how much I love and cherish you, you most amazing, _sexy_ , awesome man of my wildest dreams," she wasted no time declaring before planting a deep, appreciative kiss on his mouth. That kept him pleasantly distracted for a while, but then she broke away quickly and started tugging at him.

"And no need to look for a supplier. I've got a friend from the Falkland Islands who works for the local government overseeing the regulated trade of Gentoo penguin eggs, and guess what? He has agreed to sell us some! You just need to get your butt on the earliest flight out there, Tsukasa, and make all the connecting transfers on time. The tickets have been bought, and I've got the itinerary prepared for you as well-"

She was trying to prod him out of bed now, much to his rising dismay.

"…Now? You want me to go _now_?" He sounded rather nonplussed and completely bewildered.

"Yes! The sooner you leave, the sooner you'd get back. En-chan, baby and I will be awaiting your return with great anticipation~"

Through the confusion, Eishi was starting to form a niggling realization.

"…Wait a minute. You planned this whole thing from the start, didn't you?"

She tipped her head to the side, suddenly looking extremely innocuous again. "…You said that you wanted to feel more needed…?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, still having some trouble believing what was going on.

"… _Why_ is it that every time you're pregnant, I find myself getting ready to trek off into the some icy wilderness near the ends of the world to find you the strangest things to eat?"

She smiled softly, delightedly, at him, sitting on the bed with her bare legs curled beside her and her hands gently cradling her rounded belly, a serene expression crossing her exquisitely beautiful face. Her crimson hair tumbled around her shoulders in glorious abandon, and her expressive golden eyes glimmered with unguarded, happy warmth and tender affection as she gazed at him.

"That's easy to answer. It's because you _really_ love me, of course!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

You guys ever have this problem where **i)** all you wanted to do was to make a quick omake for a spanking new chapter that you just wrote but that omake ended up taking a life of its own and before you know it, you already have a mini-chapter banged out? Then **ii)** you stupidly try to write _another_ omake for that first omake-turned-mini-chapter and somehow that became a mini-chapter all on its own also? Ultimately, you end up with two mini-chapters that are a bit too short to post on their own but are too long to be outtakes anymore, so you look at them long and hard wondering what to do now and end up **iii)** mashing them together to fill the word quota for one long-ass chapter?

…Yeah, this installment was made exactly that way, hence the somewhat disorienting jump/timeskip in the center. Please don't be too thrown off by the change of pace!

The inspiration for this chapter can be found in chapter 3 ( **The gift that keeps on giving** ) – that last section in particular, where Eishi was looking faintly alarmed at the idea of Rindou becoming pregnant again. I wanted to explain/portray _why_ the poor man was kind of turning grey at the idea of more kids, and this chapter was the result.

Trust me. No one was happier than Eishi when his kids were finally born into the world. Not even Rindou. It might or might not have something to do with the fact that he no longer had to deal with all of her strange cravings, though!

Obligatory pregnant-cravings!shipfics are the chicken soup for the fanshippers' souls! Well, what's left of our souls that we haven't already yielded to Satan, at least.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Speaking of soup.

For those who do not know, borscht is a sour soup made with beet root and other vegetables and meat/fish that's very popular in eastern European cuisines. There are many variations, but it is usually lightly spiced and served cold with a dollop of sour cream on top. The beetroot is what gives the dish it's beautiful, distinctive red color. If you google search borscht, you may also notice that the color is very similar to Rindou and Hi'En's hair color, haha. Rindou ate A LOT of borscht when she was carrying her son, hence the joke that Hi'En was probably born with red hair because of all that beet.

I've personally never eaten penguin eggs before but according to what people are saying online, they taste just like normal eggs, with perhaps a faintly fishy flavor due to the birds' seafood diets. Gentoo penguin eggs are a traditional source of food for people living in the Falkland Islands so even until now, people do still eat those over there. However, the collection of the Gentoo eggs are also heavily regulated by the local government so that the birds don't accidentally get eaten to extinction. Their conservation status is listed under 'Least Concerned,' FYI. Another interesting factoid is that the 'whites' of penguin eggs never actually turn white when cooked – they just sort of remain transparent/translucent, which is kind of really fascinating to me. Chouko being born all pale and white like her father after all that penguin-egging is just an interesting coincidence, lol.

Russia is up north, and the Falkland Islands are down south. So basically Rindou had Eishi almost going to the ends of the world to feed her plus babies. A bit crazy, but hey, this is a cooking manga! We're dealing with serious, hardcore foodies here!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Future!Rindou is something of a popular celebrity/television personality. I modeled her off one of my favorite food and travel show hosts, Anthony Bourdain, because I thought that role suits her to a tee! She gets to travel around and eat wherever she goes, and she's also friendly, very social, really photogenic and gets super excited about food – I mean, have you seen how cute (sometimes sexy/orgasmic) she gets when she eats something yummy? Makes me want to immediately run out and try whatever she's eating, ASAP. She's practically tailor made for the job, lol.

 _ **Random headcanon (that I just thought up):**_ Rindou often finds exotic ingredients during her travels and she hauls them all home and makes (bullies) Eishi (to) cook them for her. In a way, she is his muse, because all this frequent exposure to new things forces him to constantly evolve his cooking and menu beyond the traditional expectations of 'fine dining.' He draws the line at sunfishes, though, after that one time she brought back a one ton specimen and they ended up swimming in mola mola for the next three months whenever they so much as opened the freezer...

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Eishi and Rindou's age (and marital statuses) in this chapter:  
 **Part I:** 24 (not married)  
 **Part II:** 26 (married)

None of the EiRin!babies are planned, haha. They are happy surprises, which is part of the reason _why_ Eishi probably has such a hard time dealing with it whenever Rindou gleefully (and also rather evilly) springs an announcement on him. The poor man has an even harder time convincing her to settle down and marry him (but that's a story that I'll leave for another day, lol).

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter (and that it made you laugh a bit)! It's one of my favorites in this series so by all means come and yell at me about it if it gave you feels in any way! This ship is going to be the death of me, I swear.

Happy weekend, y'all!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 5515

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 31/05/17

* * *

 **If you're hungry and you know it**

* * *

Every once in a while, he would receive a text from her.

 _Feed me_ , it would simply read.

To most, the random message would make little sense, but to the intended recipient, he knew exactly what it meant.

Most importantly, he would know that she was _here_.

Most of his days were taken up by work. Life struggling in the bustling heat of the kitchen was something that he surprisingly thrived on. He could not imagine living a life other than the one which he was currently, _passionately_ , embroiled in. Work was immensely stressful and difficult at times, but he learned frantically and absorbed as much as he could, intent on fixing that near fatal flaw in his thinking, that mistake of assumption that he had made back in Tootsuki, when he had honestly believed that the realm of cooking was a privilege that should only be explored by the best and the brightest…

Honestly, what an arrogant kid he had been back then.

He had since learned better. That experience with Yukihira and his group had been an eye opener, and the red haired youth had only been the first of many to come. Tootsuki had been an excellent stepping stone for his career, but once he graduated from the elite culinary academy, his world view suddenly expanded. In Tootsuki, he had been a big fish in a small pond, but once out of that nurturing nursery of his prestigious alma mater, it had not taken him long to realize that there were much bigger fishes lurking in this vast ocean…

So, he travelled widely and took up apprenticeships in the restaurants of chefs whom he wanted to learn from and work with. It was a nomadic and uncertain lifestyle that took some getting used to especially for someone like him, but he learned quickly in leaps and bounds and just for that alone, he would put up with whatever discomfort he had to suffer in the pursuit of perfecting his craft.

Currently, he was in France. His latest master was a persnickety and temperamental troll of a man but he cooked like a god as his chain of Michelin starred restaurants could attest to. Tsukasa has had to hound and woo the man persistently for months before the latter was willing to even let him step foot in his kitchen, and even now he was expected to pull off unrealistic demands on a near daily basis. The fair haired twenty year old did not mind it too much. When there was work to do, the time passed quickly, and he voraciously absorbed knowledge like a thirsty sponge. Some of his coworkers were bemused by his frenetic energy and insatiable need to learn as much as he could, to draw as much experience as physically possible. For those individuals, he did not know how to explain that Time was the enemy, that Time was something that he had to beat and could not let go to waste. There were so many things in the art of cooking to discover and to perfect, and Time had always ultimately been that one factor standing in his way.

That, and the intrinsic understanding of his own flitting mortality.

He had long since known that he could not do anything about altering and drastically lengthening his human lifespan, so he could only fight Time by doing as much as he could, as quickly as he could, as best as he could. It was the only way.

Those people who did not share his ambition, his vision, would never be able to remotely understand the inspiration for his constant, frantic struggle. And so he did not even try to explain, wordlessly leaving them by the wayside as his set his sights on higher and greater achievements, preferring to let the immaculate, pure quality of his cooking do all the talking for him. There was no time to stop. He could _not_ stop, could not rest.

But sometimes, frustration grew, especially when his ideas were not coming together the way he envisioned them to. He was a pessimistic perfectionist by nature; there was no one who was harder on Tsukasa Eishi than Tsukasa Eishi himself and he simply refused to accept anything less than flawless results. There was always another way, always another way to improve a recipe, to preserve the pristine integrity and taste of his ingredients, and he went after all them with the stark determination of a knight embarking on his greatest conquest. Do or die. Again and again and again. Constant, unrelenting repetition and refinement. This characteristic of his had always been a cruel double-edged sword, and he hurt himself on that fine blade more often than not, but such was the price he was only all too willing to pay, this toll of blood, sweat and tears…for perfection.

Every once in a while, his obsession would get the best of him. Every once in a while, all the tiny, minute, little details would pile up over time and grow so big in his worldview that he could barely see anything else. Like a persistent itch, a thorn in his side, a constant, unforgiving abrasion rubbing at him until he was raw and irritated, until he could barely think beyond his dratted misery. It was a vicious cycle that he could not hope to escape on his own, but…that was what Rindou was for.

Always, just before those moments could get too overwhelming…she would come to him. She would come to him with that amazing, generous grace of hers, whirling into his life with her exuberant warmth just to boss him around and check in on him for a bit, and in the process, she would pull back the blinds that obscured his sight so effortlessly, it sometimes aggravated him that she could _fix_ him with such nonchalant ease and simplicity, whereas he had to struggle so hard and _still_ his efforts would be futile.

At first, he had wanted to discount that ability of hers, had tried really hard to figure out what was it that was so special about her that allowed her to so blithely, imperfectly come and do what she did, and then eventually flit off again once his problems had been summarily resolved. He knew that he was not the only one who got to enjoy the mysterious effects of her magnetic, charming personality. She had a way of making people feel relaxed around her just by being her usual weird, carefree self – it was hard to be aloof or wary around her, and she was fascinating enough to make anyone stop whatever it was that they were doing, just to watch her.

He was no different, only in his case…she stopped and watched him back.

His only advantage laid in their shared history, the fact that he had known her the longest…and in turn, she had known him the best. What to do to calm him down. What to say to ease his anxieties. How to act to alleviate his stress. She knew all the tricks and shortcuts to him with the same ease and familiarity as she knew the back of her own hand. Oftentimes, it seemed to him that she knew how to deal with him even better than he did himself. …Which was _absurd_ , and he was not very happy to have to acknowledge her deft mastery of him, but there was no denying that she had always been an incredibly perceptive individual despite her rambunctiously outgoing nature…only that when it came to him, that level of intuition bordered on omniscient.

Were it anyone else, Eishi knew that he would have been very uncomfortable and ill at ease by now, that there existed another person in this strange world who knew him so well…but this was _Rindou_.

Rindou, who had barged into his life when they were still very young and promptly decided that they were going to be friends. Rindou, who had not minded his anxieties and bouts of pessimism and constant obsessive fastidiousness and had still stuck around even long after all the others had left in exasperation. Rindou, who had not even for _once_ laughed at him when he first told her about his ambition to conquer the Elite Ten and had looked at him instead like he had just offered her the adventure of a lifetime. Rindou, who had gone on to tether her strength to his own, who had fought with him _and_ for him as they struggled to the top.

She had accepted him on his terms, seen him at his best _and_ at his worst. He trusted her wholly and implicitly. He had known her too long and too well for anything less, and they knew exactly where they stood in each other's' lives. They were partners. It was more than enough.

His phone buzzed again just as he was leaving the restaurant at the end of his work day.

 _I'm freezing. Hurryyyyyy._

The dinner service that evening had concluded on time but his mentor had decided to spend the last hour or so reviewing protocols with the entire crew, and someone must have had lit a fire under the man's tail that day as he had been on a roll, even more than he usually was. Eishi was typically all for observing stringent standards in the kitchen, but this time, he had been unusually antsy during the head chef's impassioned lecture, and it had been a relief when the man finally, grudgingly dismissed them. As always, there were the usual invites from his colleagues for after work drinks and whatnots, but he politely declined them to head back to the small studio apartment he currently called home. There was a faint haste in his movements, an eagerness and anticipation that was normally not present, but _that_ person currently waiting for him made all the difference.

She was standing on the sidewalk outside his place with her trolley bag beside her, straight off her flight. Fleeced lined winter boots and dark blue jeans hugged her long legs. A black puffy jacket covered her torso and a cream colored beanie sat haphazardly over her tousled, crimson hair, the silken curls flowing loosely down past her shoulders like a bright, dazzling banner. Her hands were tucked into the pockets of her coat, unzipped and partially showing hints of the pullover she wore beneath it. He just watched her for a while, but then she turned his way, and their eyes met.

Unlike him, she did not pause to look at him. Even though the last time they saw each other was more than half a year ago, there was no hesitation whatsoever as she headed for him right away, just as he, too, started towards her. They met about midway, and her hands slipped out from the warm confines of her pockets as she reached for him. Her arms curled around his shoulders, and he flinched slightly in surprise when her very cold nose touched his neck. _Oh geeze, how long had she been standing out here?_

"So _warm_ …" she mumbled into the side of his throat, clinging onto him tighter, all but nuzzling in even closer, greedily trying to steal his heat. He started to flush faintly at her openly, unabashedly demonstrative actions, still acutely aware that they were standing out in the open and there were passersby giving them curious looks. He started to herd her back towards the entrance of his building, which was an endeavor easier said than done because she was none too cooperative about moving anywhere at the moment. It was as if he had a human-sized serpent coiling around him, basking in his warmth, comical as the mental imagery was.

"Rindou." His voice was a quiet timbre by her ear, faintly exasperated but mainly amused, _fond_. Hearing him speak so close was evoking all sorts of nostalgia in her. She had felt somewhat off-centered when he had gone abroad to work and was no longer around for her to bug as and when she pleased, but it was only in his absence that she was slowly registering and understanding what that disconcerting feeling of loss actually meant. She burrowed her face into his neck and inhaled his clean, familiar scent. Even though he had changed out of his work gear, he still smelled faintly of smoke and the kitchen which he had just left. She hummed happily, relaxing into him.

"…Rindou, c'mon. You'll be warmer inside." His breath puffed against her ear, and she thought she could feel him slowly, hesitantly, nose her hair, just a bit. But then he pulled away again, this time firmly guiding her back towards his apartment, grabbing her luggage as they went along. "You should have told me when your flight would arrive," he commented on the way in. "Were you waiting outside for long?"

She shrugged faintly.

"Just an hour or so. And I wanted it to be a surprise. It wouldn't be too much of a surprise if you knew in advance that I was coming, Tsukasa~"

She was starting to revive her spirits a bit more now that they had gotten into the temperature regulated building, following behind him and looking around inquisitively as he led her up a few flights of stairs and then down the hallway to the unit he called home.

"Shitsurei shimasu~" she greeted automatically as she stepped through the threshold, slipping out of her boots and leaving her footwear by the door, her voice singsongy. Hearing the phrase immediately brought upon faint feelings of homesickness, because he hadn't had many guests over ever since he started living abroad, and almost none who were fellow Japanese. Well, none other than _her_ , that was.

He was happy that she was here now, probably more than she would ever know.

Rindou was already padding about his studio apartment, curious as a cat as she poked around and explored her surroundings. Eishi brought her suitcase inside and then shut the door, leaving her to her wanderings as he removed his coat and hung it. He was also carrying a plastic bag of what looked like food from the restaurant, and the moment she heard the rustle of the bag on the counter table, she reappeared before him… _magically_.

Just like a cat, he could not help but think again, once more amused.

"Are those leftovers?" she asked with way too much interest for her curiosity to only be casual, her eyes bright. "Are you going to make something?"

"Yes," he replied, as if she did not already know. They did this every time she came calling. "But we're going to have to share because I haven't eaten yet as well."

She did not mind that, perching on the stool to watch him do his thing. It was always fun watching him cook. No matter how tired or stressed out he happened to be, the moment he stepped into a kitchen, everything else melted away and ceased to matter. There was only just him, and the magical way he gently coaxed his ingredients to _bloom_. It was mesmerizing.

"I like this place," she commented during a lull, apparently having already conducted a thorough inspection of the property in that confounding, persnickety way that women did sometimes while he wasn't paying attention. "It looks better than the last place you stayed in at Barcelona. At least you've got proper furniture from the get go this time~"

He was faintly chagrinned by her teasing.

Alright, so perhaps he had been a bit _too_ careless when it came to his living accommodations the last time around. The redhead had not been very amused during that visit when she had availed herself to his temporary home only to find out that the apartment only had a fully functional kitchen but not so much of anything else. He had been promptly dragged out to a furniture depot in the middle of the night to at least get all the basics because she refused to let him live like a hobo…even when he hadn't really minded his _minimalist_ way of life, so long as he got the freedom to cook whatever and whenever he wanted and learn as he went along. But Rindou was not so much agreeable with his sudden laissez faire lifestyle, and had basically bullied him for the entire length of her stay 'to get this' and 'to get that,' and by the time she left, his place had looked less like somewhere to just come back to crash after a long day at work, and more…cluttered. Like a home. He did not quite know what to think…but he did feel less homesick surrounded by the familiarity of her quirky personal touches, so he was grateful for that much.

"I bought a house warming gift, by the way-"

She scooted off her seat and went to find her luggage while he was making his finishing touches for the dish that he was carefully preparing. When she returned, she plopped a small wooden statue on the table. It was painted bright red, and depicted a rotund, bearded man. Eishi knew what it was immediately. It was a Daruma doll, a traditional symbol of perseverance and good luck. The redhead seemed rather amused by her gift.

"What d'ya think? I saw it at the airport when I was waiting for my flight. Now you just gotta make a wish and paint in an eye, and this little guy will watch over ya."

He wandered over after popping his dish into the preheated oven to finish cooking. Picking up the lucky statue, he examined it bemusedly. He had never been given a Daruma before but since it was Rindou, he should not be too surprised by her random spontaneity.

"…Thanks. I'll keep it safe," he told her seriously, only for her to snort.

"It's supposed to keep _you_ safe, dummy."

He transferred his attention from the figurine to Rindou, but she wasn't paying close attention to the way he was staring at her.

"Hm, or would a maneki-neko have been a better choice?" she mused almost to herself. His brow started to knit a bit in confusion.

"Why would I need a fortune cat for?" he asked. Those beckoning feline mascots were usually more popular with business owners, and the twenty year old was still years away from reaching that goal.

"To bring good fortune, of course! But mainly because I think it's cute. You know, you look really pretty but you're also very uncute," she commented in such a matter-of-fact way that made him look even more nonplussed at her. She gave him a squinty stare. "You definitely need all the help in that department."

This was not the first time he had been called 'pretty' by her, much to his eternal consternation. _Just what did she think he was, really?_

"Unlike you, I don't need to be cute to do my job," he uttered unthinkingly back at her, and she blinked at him...before a huge, cheeky grin blossomed across her face.

"… _Soooo_ you think I'm cute?"

He had to school his features, knowing immediately that he had just gone and made his life even more difficult now. Rindou was like a shark; she could sense a kill from miles away. Best not to give her too much ammunition if he wanted to live through this. After a deliberate pause, he carefully replied, keeping his gaze level with hers and very still as he did so, the way one should when facing down something really wild and dangerous. No looking away, no blushing tells, no panicky signs of retreat…or it would be game over. His expression was as stoic as whenever they made him go on stage to make an announcement back at Tootsuki. All that pokerfaced public speaking experience sure was coming handy now.

"…I'm sure that the ability to be charming is a prerequisite for those in the entertainment industry," he stated slowly, subtly trying to deflect _. Steady, now…_

Unbeknownst to the poor man, the only steady thing he was doing was digging himself into a deeper hole.

Rindou looked like she was trying not to laugh. She was doing a terrible job biting back her chortles.

"You think I'm cute _and_ charming also, to boot? Ne, Tsukasa, did you learn how to sweet talk too in Paris?"

He opened his mouth…but there were just no words. Eishi was finally realizing that there was nothing he could possibly say at this point that would make his situation any better. She took one look at his expression and could not hold it in anymore. She burst into guffaws of laughter.

Great; now she was no longer taking him seriously. She was also sitting there cackling like a witch and he could not decide whether to be insulted or not. She looked like she was about to cry; she was laughing _that_ hard. This whole thing wasn't even _that_ funny…

Eishi barely refrained from sighing at her teasing, but then she waved at him, catching his attention.

That was the whole problem, he thought dourly. She _always_ caught his attention, whether he wanted it or not.

"I'm wrong," she gasped between snickers, her face faintly flushed with mirth, golden eyes _glowing_ as they met his. "You're more than _enough_."

* * *

It was a _tartiflette_ , a fragrant, gratin-like dish hailing from the Savoy region in the French Alps, gently baked to a golden brown, cheesy, bubbling perfection. It was made chiefly of potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions, and its deceptive simplicity meant that the chef's mastery of the dish had to be incredibly precise in order to bring out the robust, full-bodied flavors of the ingredients, yet gradually spreading over the palate of the diner without being overwhelming at the same time. The tender, bite-sized pieces of scalloped potatoes were generously bathed in a smooth, white wine béchamel sauce, complimented by the nutty aroma of the creamy, ripened French cheese. Sprinkles of crispy smoked bacon cubes added a fun, savory texture and dimension that went incredibly well with the lingering sweetness and tang of the caramelized onions and sautéed garlic, finely chopped and integrated into the main body of the dish. Faint accents of nutmeg and thyme teased the olfactory sense, tantalizing and further whetting the appetite...

She could not stop smiling, a quietly euphoric expression drifting across her face as she savored the first mouthful of the piping hot potato dish, fresh out of the oven. It was _heaven_.

"You're so _good_ at this," she sighed with pleasure after she swallowed that first bite. She opened her eyes and met his gaze, slit pupiled irises alit with languid, feline contentment. "Your cooking…there's more _depth_ to it than before..."

His control over the ingredients he worked with was still as impeccably immaculate as ever, but compared to their past Tootsuki days where he would choose to bring out the flavors of his dishes with striking, impactful clarity, that same amazing ability felt like it had further evolved to become even more versatile these days; subtler nuances _delicately_ courting the enraptured senses of those who ate his food, further enhancing their enjoyment and delight as they discovered gratifying increments of intricate flavor with every mouthful…

His cooking had become gentler. _Empathetic_.

While his ideal of keeping himself out of his culinary creations still remained, there was no denying that the refined, incredibly sophisticated style that he was well on his way to perfecting would allow his diners to derive great gastronomical pleasure and comfort from the food he made. Food was evocative by nature, good food should arouse genuine, deep seated sentiments of happiness and wonder from those who eat them…and his cooking made her heart _flutter_.

He sent her a faintly enquiring look, then proceeded to steal her spoon to snag a bite himself. The tartiflette was a test dish, but Rindou was always happy to test taste whatever he made. That had always been the case from when they first met all the way until now, and he doubted it would change anytime soon. Before he could claim the bite, though, she reached out, grabbed his wrist and had him surrender the spoonful into her mouth instead.

He just stared at her, this unruly woman who would probably eat him out of house and home if he let her.

"Was that necessary?" he deadpanned. She licked her chops and grinned unrepentantly at him.

"Yes. Feed me also as you eat~"

"Did you really come all this way just to visit me or are you visiting me just for the food?" he asked dryly, but obliged her demands all the same. There was just something about her honest, thorough enjoyment of his cooking that was incredibly satisfying to him. He did not mind sharing his meals with her. Or perhaps he had been so used to doing so with her over the years that it had simply became their thing now.

"Why can't I do both?" She rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her stacked hands, watching him. An almost sleepy, sensual smile lingered on the curl of her lips. She was warm and happy now, settling and sated beneath his care and attention. It was a feeling that she was slowly coming to associate with him more and more, this sense of immeasurable, precious _comfort_. There was no one else quite like him.

"You're kinda amazing, ya know," she murmured, and now she had his full attention. "I've always thought that since the first time we met."

This was something he had never heard before, not coming from her, at least. Her offhanded words, guileless and without subterfuge, made him happy…and also incredibly aware of this growing _weight_ between them, each time they met. Was he the only one to sense it? She never seemed to indicate otherwise…

…Yet, without fail, she _always_ came back to him.

"You're amazing to me also," he replied quietly. Not a lie, because he had never in his entire life met anyone like her before. She surprised him all the time, sent him off kilter with her unpredictable actions, and possessed his attention from the very day they first met.

Rindou studied him intently for a while, her eyes bright. Then, she slowly reached out, her slender fingers gently caressing his face, running carefully over his cheek. Her palm cradled his jaw. There was a stark, breathtaking _intimacy_ in the way she was touching him this time, so different from her usual nudges and random pokes and rambunctious side checks, wordlessly conveying her poignant message.

Like he was something incredibly important to her. Like he was something that _mattered_.

Like he was her favorite place to be.

The revelation shook him, like a jolt spearing straight through his chest.

 _This_ was her response to him.

He stilled, pale, intent lavender locked with dazzling gold.

She leaned in, and her lips brushed softly against his cheek. He inhaled at the contact, as if he had just been branded, and she paused. Pulled back a little.

"... _Eishi_ ," she whispered, suddenly a bit uncertain, which surprised him, just a little. He shuddered at the caress of his name, softly uttered by her mouth and shaped by her lips, there and then becoming abruptly, _acutely_ aware of how much power she held over him. She had always been larger than life. Bold, daring, carefree Rindou. _But_ now, here she was, open and unguarded, her feelings for him on full display, waiting on him to react to the stunning, riveting sight.

She had always been the braver one, out of the two of them, and her rare, momentary vulnerability quietly _moved_ him.

What was there to say in return? _I like you?_ But that would be going backwards. They had both passed that point a long time back. And did words matter, anyway? Their bond had been something first forged by a mutual promise, and then further solidified by steadfast actions made towards fulfilling _that_ promise. Why would now be any different?

Eishi turned his head and met her mouth with his own, silently responding to her unasked question. Her lips were dizzingly _,_ enticingly _soft_. They clung to his own, and his tongue lightly traced the seam of her slick flesh. She tasted faintly, mesmerizingly sweet. He pressed in closer, instinctively seeking more of her. Their noses bumped in their eagerness, this interaction obviously something new and yet astonishingly, strangely, wonderful. And perfect. Like a complex mathematical equation that suddenly made all the sense, coming together so beautifully now. Why hadn't they done this sooner, he could not help but distractedly think.

Then, she _sighed_ , her lips parting, her tongue coming out to caress his own, and it was as if she had just flipped him on his head. He started to feel a bit faint, a bit overwhelmed by all this influx of tactile sensations and feelings coming at him at the same time, completely foreign and like nothing he had experienced before, all triggered by _her_. A restless, roiling anticipation started to build, one that he didn't quite know what to do with, only that she was the cause of it all and thus, naturally, she would be the cure as well.

They were clumsy and untried but fueled by rousing excitement and the insatiable curiosity to explore more of each other. He was slower and more hesitant, acutely aware of the crumbling boundary between them that had once been held in place for so long, but was now surely but steadily disintegrating, making way for something _new_ and entirely foreign. He was held in thrall by the intrinsic, uneasy understanding that there would be no turning back once they went down this road, for good _or_ for bad. Predictably, Rindou had no reservations plowing straight into unchartered waters. Like everything she did, she threw herself right into the thick of it, letting instincts dictate what to do next...and she was dragging him along for the ride.

"Goodness, this is _fun_ ," she gasped, like kissing him was something unexpectedly exciting and so very thrilling, and she hungered for _more_. She nipped at his jaw, dragging her lips down the side of his throat, sinking her teeth playfully into his neck. He started, partly in pained surprise, partly in startled pleasure.

Oh, _god_.

Was this really happening. He was in a daze.

"W-Wait," he murmured huskily, his voice threatening to crack. He swallowed and tried again. "Rindou, _stop_. What are we doing?"

She pulled away reluctantly to look at him, slowly licking her lips. His eyes were immediately drawn to her rosy mouth, plump and smooth. He had to shake his head to snap himself out of this stupor.

She shrugged…which wasn't the least encouraging at all. "I'unno. But it doesn't feels wrong."

'It doesn't feels wrong,' was not exactly an answer he was looking for when asking her why she was kissing him. His gaze sharpened.

"That's not good enough." He did not sound happy. "Will you be kissing other people too, just because 'it doesn't feels wrong?'"

She tipped her head to the side, not quite sure what he meant. This topic wasn't exactly something she was an expert in. Neither was he, for the matter.

"I've only kissed you, though," she pointed out, brow furrowing. "Should we also be kissing other people too-"

" _No_!" he ended up almost yelling in denial, flustered by her ridiculous conclusion. "You know what, never mind about that. And let me rephrase my question. … _Why_ did you suddenly decide to kiss me?"

She shook her head. "Not really suddenly. Been thinkin' of kissing you for a while already."

 _Oh_.

She sounded so sure and matter-of-fact about the whole thing it completely threw off his stride. He paused to regather his thoughts, but then his pessimistic nature caught up to him and he started up again.

"…You're _absolutely_ sure you don't want to kiss other people? Only…me?"

She sighed exasperatedly at his leading questions.

"Tsukasa, ya dummy. If I wanna kiss other people, I wouldn't be kissing you in the first place. So are we good here? Can we get back to the fun part already? 'Coz I'd _really_ like to kiss you more than talk right now, and preferably as much as we can during the next few days before I gotta head back to Japan again."

Well, when the most beautiful woman he had ever known was openly desiring him like that, what else was there left for him to say?

"…Don't bite so hard."

 _Really smooth, Tsukasa Eishi._

Rindou huffed.

"Oh, you're such a sissy. Kuga said that some guys _like_ being bitten, so there."

She raised her arms towards him expectantly, and he slowly, tentatively tugged her close, allowing her to nestle into his neck once more. Her soft mouth caressed his stinging flesh. He bit his lip, lavender eyes going hazy.

"…Exactly what sort of conversation were you having with that guy, anyway…"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

By the way, just so we're all on the same page, this is exactly _that_ couple who are already doing all the innocuous and normal couple-y things even way before they actually became a couple, FYI.

First kiss tastes like _tartiflette_ for these two, apparently! Second half of this chapter was supposed to be an omake, but as you can see, it kind of ballooned into something else altogether. Will I ever be able to produce a successful omake at this rate, I wonder…

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Again for confirmation, Peerless!Eishi would go on to travel the world for a few years right after graduation. Actually, it was more like he went around taking up consecutive apprenticeships in various fine-dining restaurants in order to further improve and hone his cooking. This practice of apprenticeship/mentorship is actually something that I found is quite common in the careers of real-life Michelin star chefs, if you happen to watch the documentaries and/or read their autobiographies. I feel like Eishi, with his constant hunger for learning, would unhesitatingly throw himself down that same path too.

Honestly, I'm still quite puzzled as to _why_ Eishi and the others in the Elite Ten would choose to side Azami in the first place. Azami's methodology/intention of creating an army of carbon-copy so-called 'top class' chefs is so different from Eishi's personal interest in wanting to explore the vast world of cooking, as was what he had alluded to during the Autumn Leaf Ceremony. I just cannot comprehend the reason for Eishi's support towards Central, which basically aims to kill the inspiration/creativity of future generations of cooks…unless he possibly entertains the belief that the privilege of delving into the different kinds/exploration of cooking should only be reserved for those in the top tier, while all the others should just fall in and conform to the ideals of the elites…? Hmm. Any comments on this, you guys?

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 20 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, I usually try to make it a point to reply privately to my reviewers (when they are signed in). To all the lovely anons who commented on this fic, I just want to say thank you so much for all your warm and kind feedbacks and for constantly supporting this little series. There are not many of us around so it always warms the cold cockles of my heart when I read that I've managed to convert some of you (cursing and swearing the entire way lol) to our merry little cult!ship. xD

But seriously. Thanks for all the love and for making my day with your encouragements! :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4615

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 17/06/17

* * *

 **Lean on me**

* * *

For Rindou, puberty arrived late.

It got lost on the road of Life and only found her around the end of her second year in high school…and she, for a lack of better term, _transcended_ from an annoyingly bossy girl brat to an absolutely stunning, drop dead bombshell.

Still annoyingly bossy, though.

Within what seemed like the blink of an eye, her diminutive frame started to shoot up, and her previously tomboyish figure started to take on an obviously womanly form. She developed a noteworthy bosom seemingly overnight, her hips flared in an attractively feminine manner, and whatever childish chubbiness that she once retained on her face melted away, revealing flawless cheekbones and a facial structure that looked like they might had been sculpted by the hands of God Himself. All of a sudden, that weirdly playful demeanor of hers, complete with her exotic golden eyes and mischievous fanged grin, became something a lot less exasperating to look at and a lot more irresistibly... _sexy_ instead.

Rindou returned to her final year at Tootsuki with her fiery hair tumbling down her shoulders in careless, tousled locks, her school uniform fitting her blossoming body a bit too snugly than it once used to. The hem of her pleated skirt flirted dangerously with her slender thighs and further accentuated just how _long_ those lean, toned legs had become, the buttons of her shirt strained to contain her growing cleavage, and her once baggy sweater hugged her hourglass curves like a possessive lover.

Her first day back at school after Spring break caused quite the furor. The male student body of Tootsuki collectively did a double take when the sultry redhead sauntered down the hallways of the academy with her usual predatory, feline grace. They almost completely failed to recognize her – had there existed a student as devilishly beautiful as this unknown senpai in their school all along? There were even some who gawked so much they walked right into doors. Rindou barely paid all the furtive stares and furious whisperings any mind – people always liked to point and say silly things behind her back so she was quite used to tuning them all out by now. No; the seventeen year old was more interested in hunting for her second breakfast. All that these inconvenient growth spurts did was make her outgrow her clothes and constantly hungry, and so she was always looking for something to eat. Not that it was very different from how she usually behaved in the past, mind you…

Her first order of business, however, had been to check in with the First Seat of the Elite Ten. The handing over of duties from the 89th generation Elites to their 90th generation successors had already been completed during the last term of the previous school year, and now that all the senpai had graduated, their vacated Seats had also found new masters to fill them. It was the same for Rindou as well. Making the Second Seat of the Elite Ten left her with somewhat conflicted emotions. On one hand, it had felt initially euphoric to finally achieve this dream…but on the other hand, now that the dream had been fulfilled, everything else felt a bit anticlimactic.

It also didn't help that the Elite Ten was not just a title of prestige. There were heavy responsibilities that came with the positions, and boy, had that been a major downer.

Tsukasa was already…buried in paperwork when Rindou stepped into his office. The sight was piteously comical as the new school year had not even officially started yet and the white haired teen was already looking like he was _dying_ on the table, surrounding by towering stacks of documents.

That had to be a record or something. The poor guy did not even had the time to enjoy the nice, spanking view that this large, spacious room offered of their magnificent school. He didn't even look up when he heard her enter his domain, and instead, pointed at the couch, the armchair and the floor respectively, speaking as he did so.

"First Year orientation affairs – couch. Second Year class schedules – armchair. Third Year internship application results – floor. Alumni and instructors-related paperwork, you can find them by the door. Thank you for your hard work."

Obviously he had assumed that she was some secretariat from administration passing by to pick up the files that he had already worked on. She ignored him and ventured closer, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.

"Sheesh, Tsukasa, don't tell me that you have been stuck in here all of Spring break covering all these paperwork?"

He stiffened at the sound of her voice, but still he did not look up. He wanted to finish up this last document that he was currently looking through before Rindou could distract him and get him involved in god knew what again. The redhead drew right up to his side, peering at his desk with the morbid curiosity of someone who was looking at a gruesome traffic accident. She winced inwardly at how hellish he looked. This was going to be a long school year for him, she could tell already.

"I've got no choice," he muttered in response. "The organization of the files are all over the place and I need to establish a proper system. That took all of break to sort out."

She snorted at his suffering, not really looking very sympathetic either.

"That's because you're such a perfectionist, as usual. All the other First Seats that came and went before you just put up with what they were given but _you_ just had to go in and overhaul everything. You really do like to torture yourself too much, Tsukasa…"

"I've gotta get everything arranged properly from the beginning or it's just going to get even worse sometime down the year," he insisted, finally signing off on the document and looking up. "What are you doing here, anyway-"

His question cut off abruptly once he took a good look at her. He paused, his eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise. She cocked her head at him.

"What?"

His brow furrowed briefly before smoothing out again, and he quietly studied her face, his pale lavender gaze running over her features.

"…Are you growing out your hair?" he questioned curiously. He had never seen them this long before, in all the years that he had known her.

She shrugged, idly reaching up and tugging at one lock of her bangs. "I was s'posed to cut it last weekend but I forgot."

His eyes finally met hers, contemplative. "You could try leaving it long. It looks good on you."

And that was all he had to say.

She shrugged again, her hand dropping from her hair, losing interest in the topic. "Eh. Maybe I will. Hey. I wanna go to the cafeteria to get food, so come with me. You need a break, anyway." It wasn't exactly a question, more a casual demand and expectation that he would do as she requested. By now, he knew better than to resist her; it would have been easier trying to hold back a hurricane.

"You haven't eaten yet?"

"I did, but I got hungry again."

"Geeze. Is that stomach of yours a black hole?"

But he heaved himself out of his chair all the same…and promptly came face to face with Rindou...which was a strange thing to experience, because last he remembered, she was supposed to be half a head shorter than him. He straightened automatically…but their height difference still remained nearly negligible.

"Did you grow taller?" he asked, a bit baffled by her unexpected development. He looked her up and down more carefully now, finally registering her other physical…changes.

… _Oh._

…He hurriedly tore his gaze away once he realized that his eyes were lingering on _her_ , feeling vaguely flustered and disturbed by his own instinctive interest towards this young woman who was also his best friend. Rindou was Rindou. He wasn't supposed to stare at her legs…or notice the womanly swell of her chest-

She leaned into him then, startling him out of his thoughts. They were suddenly standing so close that their faces were mere inches apart. He went rigid in wary alarm. … _What was she doing?_

Rindou did not quite seem to comprehend the meaning of personal bubbles, it seemed. She smirked at him, her fangs poking out impishly from behind her upper lip.

" _Heh_. Maybe I'm taller than you now~"

A faint burst of irritation echoed through him at her teasing and he grabbed at it, concealing his initial disconcertment.

" _Oy_." He was not the tallest guy around for sure, but she was making him feel slightly defensive of his stature. "You're not _that_ tall."

"… _Yet_ ," she snickered, but then she also backed off a bit, her point made. She petted him on the arm. "But don't worry. I'll still like you even if you become chibi~"

His eye twitched.

"You speak like you're expecting me to shrink," he grumbled, following her out of his office at the same time, but not before he picked up his school blazer.

"Oh, I'unno; that might actually happen what with all that responsibility weighing you down now," she singsonged gaily.

He silently glowered at her for reminding him, but she chuckled and side checked him amusedly.

"Don't look at me like that – you were the one who wanted to take First Seat, remember? And I think you're gonna have to go on stage to make that 'welcome back to school' speech later, right? That's gonna be _loads_ of fun, I bet~"

Now she was just rubbing salt into his wounds. He was starting to wilt at the reminder, his expression turning a bit grey. He did _not_ enjoy his public duties at all, much preferring to stay behind the scenes to make sure that everything was running smoothly.

"Why can't you be the one to do it instead," he muttered unhappily. She sure knew how to take all the air out of his balloon, that was for certain.

Her response was to slap him upside the back, because he was starting to slouch in depression. He was really funny, as usual. "C'mon! It's not _that_ bad. You're complaining too much. Man up."

A strange look crossed his face at her words. Being told to 'man up' by her was not really helping his flagging self-esteem any. He sighed gloomily as they reached the cafeteria on the ground level, and as with what usually happened whenever he was in a communal space in the academy, the titters and excited whispers of his fangirls started up as well. Being put under that sort of spotlight did not improve his mood whatsoever.

This time, though, the unwanted attention heaped on him and his companion seemed more intense than usual, and he roused enough from his funk to see what was going on.

"… _Why_ are they all staring at you?" he asked Rindou, who was currently paying nobody any mind as she studied the menu board with all the focus and attention of someone whose life and death depended on it.

"Hm?" She shrugged. "Beats me."

His suspicion grew. "…What did you do, now?"

She paused from her perusal of the menu to give him a faintly offended look. "…Why d'ya _always_ automatically assume that I've done something wrong?"

His brow lifted at her question. "…Do you want me to answer this offhand, or should I pull out the data spreadsheet with all the pie charts and figures?"

She at least had the grace to look mildly chagrinned.

"That's not fair – I've been good so far!"

"…Only because the school year has not started yet."

She turned around to give him the stink eye. _Oohh_ , he was just getting back at her for the height thing, wasn't he? She wouldn't have thought that he would be so sensitive about it-

Her eye (and nose) caught the very pleasing sight (and aroma) of a traditional breakfast set that a student was just walking by with. It smelt so good that she promptly abandoned the conversation to bound after the other teen instead, leaving Eishi hanging there in usual nonplussed exasperation.

"Hey, hey, hey! Whatcha got there? It looks _really_ yummy~!"

The underclassman froze and also looked rather stunned to be so suddenly beset upon by the First and Second Seats of the Elite Ten. He also started to blush once he registered that he was receiving the full, undivided attention of a very beautiful young woman with a smoking figure that was the stuff of a hot blooded teen's wet dreams.

Or rather, the tray that he was holding was possessing the fiery goddess's full favor. His unwitting enthrallment was simply but a side effect of her magnetic personality and appearance…

"K-K-Kobayashi-s-s-senpai, good m-morning. You can h-h-have it if you want."

She all but lit up beautifully at the offer, and the poor kid looked like he had just swallowed his tongue.

"Really? I can? You don't mind at all? I should at least pay ya back or somethin'! What's your name and class? I'll come find you at lunch later to bring you something really good to eat too!"

Eishi thought that the second year might just expire on the spot, he was turning so red. The third year could sympathize. Rindou was a force of nature not to be reckoned with – he had been pretty gobsmacked himself the first time he met the ridiculously outgoing girl.

 _What was up with that exaggerated, star struck reaction, though…?_

The other male was looking at Rindou like she was the most perfect creature he had ever met…which was admittedly _not_ an analogy _ever_ to be used in conjunction with the rambunctious, tomboyish girl. It made Eishi feel vaguely uncomfortable…and strangely protective. His reaction made no logical sense. She was more than capable of looking after herself and if anything, he ought to feel sorrier for the boy currently being relentlessly harassed by her.

"Rindou," he interjected before he could think too deeply about the matter. It was ultimately inconsequential, the idolization of one kid, unexpected as it was.

The redhead turned to him, as did her newfound admirer, the latter who appeared faintly apprehensive as the sight of him. Even now, Eishi was somewhat incredulous. What sort of absurd alternate universe was this supposed to be, where people were afraid of him and preferred Rindou instead? Usually, it was the other way round…

Eishi could feel a headache coming.

"…Why are you bullying the juniors?"

She rolled her eyes at his sigh. "I'm not! I'm being a nice senpai and interacting with my cute little kouhai, right, right?" She nudged the younger, shorter student, who was kind of looking like his brain was close to fizzling out now that he had been called 'cute' by the nice…gorgeous… _sexy_ senpai.

Eishi frowned pointedly once he noticed the glazed line of sight that the kid was weirdly fixated on. Or rather, it was the hint of luscious cleavage belonging to his aggravatingly oblivious best friend, straining against the thinly opaque material of her school uniform and threatening to spill over the décolletage...

That vexed feeling of irritated protectiveness…uh, _swelled_ once more.

Of all the things he had to do for her, this had to be the most ludicrous one so far.

" _Hey_." Eishi's voice was just a half octave sharper than usual, but it served the purpose of snapping the second year out of his lust-addled daze. The youth blanched inwardly once he noticed the thoroughly blank expression on the First Seat's face.

"Y-Y-Yes, Tsukasa-s-s-senpai…?"

"You may want to purchase your breakfast again, before assembly starts."

His mild, level tone did not betray his rising annoyance, but the vein on his temple did twitch when the young woman beside him cheerfully interjected.

"Oh yeah, you really should! And don't mind Tsukasa, he's just a bit grumpy now 'coz he has to go up on stage later to talk 'bout a bunch'a dead boring stuff and put people down for their mid-morning naptimes. Thanks for the meal, I owe ya one~!"

It was obvious that the First Seat was slowly losing his patience whereas his female counterpart was more interested in the food than in him now. The second year student gulped and bowed, swiftly beating his retreat. Rindou hummed happily and went off to claim the nearest unoccupied table, Eishi trailing after her.

"Ohh, this is really good!" she gasped after her first mouthful of the fluffy rice and tender chicken/egg mixture that was the oyakodon. Her cheeks flushed with pleasure at the piping hot, homey meal. "D'ya wanna try it too?"

He shook his head, exasperated by how easy it was to win her over. She eyed him over her second bite.

"Ya know, you're gonna own this gig - there's no one more capable in Tootsuki," she told him matter-of-factly, as if she had no doubt whatsoever. "So relax. You've got this in the bag, First Seat~"

Funny; he had once thought that being acknowledged as _First_ would be the ultimate proof that he was _the_ best, that he was the one standing head and shoulders above everyone else.

But now, he was also quickly coming to realize that the problem with standing above everyone else also meant that ultimately, he would also be the only one isolated at the pinnacle.

"…Don't call me that."

"Hm?" She sent him a quizzical look, splitting her attention between him and eating her donburi. She sent him a faintly intrigued look. "You don't wanna be known as First Seat?"

"I don't want _you_ to call me that," he corrected. "Or rather, there's no need for you to do so."

"Isn't that the whole point, though? For you to be number one?"

He looked at her for a moment.

"…Am I your friend first, or am I First Seat first?"

She huffed softly at his roundabout question, her golden eyes twinkling, amused.

"…You're being surprisingly sentimental, aren't ya?"

He shrugged. _It wasn't exactly a matter of sentimentality, per se…_

"You rose alongside me. I don't see any need for distinction between us. …That wasn't the reason why I wanted to take the top in the first place."

She was silent for a while, because she did know _why_ he had strove so hard to take this position.

"Do you feel momentarily gratified, at least?"

"…It's the first step," he acknowledged, his gaze distant, as if far off in thought. Those pale lavender irises slowly refocused on her. "What about you? Will you stay?"

There was no need to beat around the bush, or to verbalize the rest of his question. She already knew. For all intents and purposes, this already marked the completion of their mutual promise. They had no actual obligation to stick by each other any longer.

"Would you like me to?" she enquired serenely.

"I would prefer that, yes," he responded unhesitatingly…before a note of worry slipped into his thoughts, sending a ripple of unease through him. "…Though if you have other plans-"

"I don't," she cut him off blithely before his pessimistic nature could kick in and reduce him to a fretful mess. Her spoon was scraping at the bottom of the bowl now; it had been a satisfying second breakfast, and one which she finally concluded by washing down with a steaming, satisfying cup of hojicha. _Mm_. A traditional morning meal was always the best…

She propped her chin over one upturned palm, and just watched him with those glimmering, cat slit eyes of hers. Such a strange man, he was. She was still trying to figure out how he could be so overwhelmingly strong and yet bemusingly sensitive at the same time.

Yet, it wasn't a weakness. He had turned it into his strength instead. _He was always so full of contradictions…_

She tipped her head and smirked at him with that free spirited, buoyant confidence of hers, her gaze glowing brightly.

"Just do as you always do; I've got your back."

* * *

An hour or so later, Eishi was almost white in the face from stress. He really _hated_ public speaking. The other members of the newly reborn Elite Ten were running around in different parts of the school seeing to their respective duties and making sure that all the last minute crop ups were smoothly dealt with…which only left Rindou to watch him and make sure that he would not actually pass out from self-induced anxiety before it was time for him to get on stage to make his speech as First Seat.

Rindou was somewhat amused by their situation. _Heh_. In a weird and funny kind of way, she was akin to a dragon guarding a knight...but who had ever heard of such a ridiculous thing?

But…the knight protects the dragon too, sometimes.

…And the knight feeds the dragon often also, actually.

So it was a mutually beneficial arrangement thingy. And it was a thingy that worked well enough for the two of them…so who cared if whatever they did was normal or not…?

It was a silly line of thought that the bored redhead was entertaining, in the hopes that time would pass faster. Rindou was just lounging behind the podium with her fellow Elite – or rather, only Rindou was lounging, Eishi was busy stressing – waiting for the Director to finish his rousing and fiery lecture that he always gave at the beginning of every year to stir up the fighting spirits of the first years. The Second Seat wondered if he was going to strip too… _Man_ , Tsukasa sure was going to have a tough time one upping _that_ inspirational (more like shocking) sight with his own speech if the old man really went ahead and did that…

"…I know that they call ya the _White_ Knight of the Table, but you're starting to take on the meaning a bit too literally, Tsukasa," she remarked, side eyeing the wan and pale looking young man beside her. He was full of nerves; fingers restlessly drumming against the side of his leg, pacing back and forth a bit, no doubt mentally going over the speech that he had prepared for the nth time. At this point, she would not be surprised if he could recite the whole thing word for word even if he was in a deep coma. This guy really could get so uptight over the weirdest things.

"Stop that."

His twitchiness was starting to make her twitchy as well. He ignored her, predictably, or at least, he tried to.

She had never been one to let herself go unheeded if she didn't want to, though…

She slipped deftly in front of him, forcing him to stop or run her right over. He stopped. Without pause, she brought her hands up and clapped them over his cheeks, loud enough to snap him out of whatever anxious thought he was currently caught in. Her palms cupped the sides of his face firmly, not allowing him to turn away or retreat, and she kept him there until he was finally looking at her, his eyes focused intently on hers.

Those pale lavender depths narrowed.

"Settle down, _dummy_. Just pretend that you're about to give a speech to a whole bunch'a naked people – there's no way to get nervous in front of people all standing about bare assed naked, right?"

If anything, he tensed at her advice. He also started to look visibly appalled at the terrible mental imagery that she had just unhelpfully traumatized him with. As if Director Nakiri and his random exhibitionist tendencies weren't already bad enough…

"… _Why_ would they even be naked in the first place? No; why even would I be giving a speech to a whole school of naked people in the first place?" he asked her, brow knitting at the illogical situation. "They'd all be freezing out in this weather and getting frostbites…"

Oh, _right_. She forgot that she was talking to Mr. OCD-I-Notice-Every-Little-Detail-And-Like-To-Nitpick Tsukasa. But at least he was paying attention to her now, and actually responding to her as well.

"Can't you just _pretend_ ," she muttered, exasperated.

"Can we unpretend that part," he uttered back. "Because facing down a whole horde of hypothetically unclothed and angry individuals is not _exactly_ what I'd call an unstressful experience…"

"Why would you assume that they'd be angry?"

"…Would you be happy, naked and freezing out in this weather?"

Dang, he had a point.

"Well, no, but-"

Wait a minute. What was this stupid discussion that they were having? He was making her daft! She smacked him again, since her hands were already resting conveniently on his face anyway.

"… _Ow_ …!"

At least there was a bit of color now on his previously pallid features, and he was starting to look a bit disgruntled…which was a more favorable expression on him than his previously greyish facade. She released him to fix his tie, deft fingers grabbing the dang thing that had somehow gotten loose _again_. One hand adjusted the knot to the center of his collar, the other tugged on the inner tongue of the red and violet blue striped material, tightening the loop securely around his neck. Then, she swiftly, efficiently, buttoned up his blazer, deftly folded down, tucked away and perfected the rest of his formal ensemble, making sure that not a thread was out of place. She wasn't exactly being very gentle about the whole thing, but she got the job done. It had been a pain stuffing him into the uniform in the first place – he had fussed the entire way – but such was the task she had been assigned by the others and by golly she would make sure he got on that stage looking flawlessly presentable even if she had to cart him up there herself.

She let him go, taking a step back to study him before crossing her arms over her chest, nodding in satisfaction. So long as he quit fidgeting, his (temporarily) immaculate appearance should probably last through the course of his address. He looked faintly bemused by her bossiness, but also more or less distracted from his tension.

"Alright, then what about this, smartass. Just pretend that you're speaking to your ingredients."

" _What_?"

"Ingredients! Pretend that the first years are your vegetables, the second years are the seafood that you've gotten fresh from the fishery early this morning and the third years the quality dry-aged beef that you just spent a small fortune on! Pretend that you're telling them what you need them to become! Tell them to do their best for you! Command them to be delicious or something!"

"… _Command_ them to be _delicious_?"

He still sounded completely lost, but then he started to consider the merit of her words. Or rather, gleaning what she was actually trying to say. _Just pretend that you are in the kitchen, doing what you always do._

There was no more time left for him to dither; the smatter of polite applause that came from the student body signaled the end of the director's speech, which meant that he was up next. Rindou started to push his reluctant form towards the hidden staircase. She was only one step away from giving him a boot up the behind to get him to move faster. Geeze, he could be such a baby sometimes.

"Yes, go! Do it grandly! Puff out your chest! Strut up there like you're the president of our country!"

"…But our country does not have a president…"

" _Pretend_! And if you touch your tie _again_ I'm going to shave you bald in your sleep!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I was rereading some of the older chapters of SnS and I always found it amusing that Eishi canonically suffers from stage fright. There's this precious part in Ch. 167 where he was just complaining about having to make a live announcement and Rindou just wasn't having any of it, which cracks me up every time. Also, it's quite funny that whenever Eishi gets too stressed out, he sorts of try to psych himself out of it by picturing Rindou yelling at him… _hah_ , this guy is so seriously whipped I can't even, lol.

Long story short, this chapter was partially inspired by all these cute/funny little canon depictions revolving around the dynamics of these two.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I also considered Rindou's physical appearance…or rather, her change in appearance over her years of attendance in Tootsuki. I noticed that in her second year as a high school student, she actually still looked very much the same as she did in her first and second years in middle school, same hairstyle, similar scrawny, tomboyish build (well by Tsukuda-san's standards at least lol)...quite different from her current appearance.

…Which of course indirectly implied that she likely started to develop very quickly by her third and final year in Tootsuki, so it was easy to make the conjecture that puberty caught up to her quite late…but boy did she _bloom_.

Eishi obviously has no idea what to make of her drastic physical changes, so he just does the only thing that makes the most sense to him – he ignores it. xD

…Will be coming back to explore this bit again in a future chapter! I was supposed to but the plot veered off in some other direction instead. Oh, well.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

We all know that Rindou is the tallest female member in the Elite Ten, and it also seems to me that her height is very close to that of Eishi's, if we go by the full color spread of the entire Elite Ten during the Autumn Leaf Viewing Ceremony. I don't think we have any official height data for Rindou and Eishi (yet), _but_ we do know that Souma is 173 cm, and if you compare the mangacaps of Eishi and Souma side by side during the chapters when they had the informal Shokugeki with venison, you can actually see that Eishi is slightly taller than Souma.

It's not exactly accurate science, but I would comfortably peg Eishi at a height of around 177-178 cm…which means that Rindou is really quite tall as well!

Little random headcanon of mine: Eishi gets quite irritated whenever Rindou teases him about their height. He gets especially bothered when she claims to be the taller one, hah.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 17 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4017

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 08/06/17

* * *

 **Please do not feed the dragon**

* * *

It was said that for every human being, each would experience in their lives at least one period of time where they would enjoy great popularity amongst their peers.

For the case of Kobayashi Rindou, that period crept upon her during the later years of her high school career in Tootsuki, and then never really went away. Sometimes it ebbed, other times, it surged, but whether she actually sought the attention or not, it was always never too far away from her. Some would say that the redhead led a charmed life, but for the most parts, she was more bemused than flattered by all the interest heaped upon her over time.

Popularity had always been something that puzzled her, just a little. In the first place, she had never been the type to form up in groups, meekly adhering to the natural 'herd' mentality that would ensure safety in numbers so long as one did not do anything to stand out. _But_ she had always been the odd one out, from her blazing red hair to her pointed, striking features to her generous, exuberant personality. She relished in the company of others for sure, was friendly and sociable and liked having fun and enjoying herself, but she was also a free spirit who always did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and that alone ensured that she would never be able to comfortably settle within the narrow expectations and attitudes of social cliques.

To have to conform, to have to follow the trend, to go with the flow, just because everyone else were doing it…that sounded _so_ boring and unbearably tedious to her. She liked to venture down the path least traveled, the road not taken, and that made all the difference.

But sometimes, different did not always mean good.

When she was very young, the other children around her could not comprehend her motivations and _why_ she was like this, what made her tick that she would behave so outrageously. Hence they branded her _strange_ because they could not quite grasp her nature, and things that could not be quickly labeled and easily understood were instinctively regarded as potentially dangerous and promptly avoided. So they kept away from her. It wasn't exactly bullying per se, or a deliberate sort of social isolation – she was too headstrong and irrepressible to stand for that sort of thing, anyway. It was more to the point that the others simply did not know what to make of her, and therefore they gave her a wide berth, the way one would a wild, exotic animal in a zoo, observing from a safe distance away, behind the protective barrier of their social bubble.

Children could be so cruel sometimes, even when they hadn't actually meant to.

But Rindou did not pay them too much mind, nor did she bitterly resent anyone for (inadvertently) contributing to her unique situation. No, she had better things to do, rather than wasting time feeling sorry for herself. To her, the world was her oyster and there were no lack of adventures to embark on, her natural, voracious curiosity constantly seeking to be sated. She was an inquisitive creature and her persistent _need_ to know often landed her in all sorts of situations. But she wandered, and she learned, and she thrived.

And Time chugged along.

Then, when she was twelve, she met Tsukasa.

And immediately _knew_ that she had to make him her friend.

Truth be told, Tsukasa also thought that she was strange…but the thing about him that made him stand out from all of the others was that…he, too, was a _weird_ one.

Birds of a feather, flock together…right?

That restless, hungry quality in him that simply refused to be quelled, that refused to accept anything less than perfection…it struck a deep chord of _recognition_ in her.

 _A-ha. I_ _ **know**_ _you._

This was a guy who was earnestly, frantically, pursuing that glimmer of _light_ in the far horizon, not content to settle for mediocrity or the ordinary. This was an interesting guy. This was a guy whose motivation she understood all too well.

He might seem deceptively mild and meek, but deep within him welled the insatiable, relentless appetite of a monster.

 _He was a freak like her too._

He just hid it a lot better than she did, or rather, he at least tried to be more subtle about it…though perhaps that was just his low blood pressure masking his actual personality and intent. Unlike her…who never really bothered to hide or pretend to be otherwise. Strangely enough, they made a great team, and their mutual promise stuck them together as they strove for the top. Growing closer, knowing each other inside out, becoming best friends, those were but only an expected, natural progression of their ever evolving relationship.

He still thought her as peculiar and as bewildering as the first day she had barged in on him and insisted that they would be friends. He still thought her something mysterious and something that he would likely never really quite understand. She was downright impossible for him to ignore, and after a while, he simply resigned himself to the fact that this girl-woman possessed a very unsettling, strange influence over him. But she was his friend though, and she always worked in tandem to support his endeavors – they were partners and no matter how outrageous she got…she didn't give him anxiety.

That alone meant something, even though he had not quite understood it himself…

Then third year came, they finally ascended First and Second Seats respectively…and Rindou suddenly became _very_ popular.

To be more accurate, it wasn't that the people around them suddenly woke up one day and discovered all of Rindou's… _uh_ , virtues. No, it was more like she came back from spring break with an unexpectedly developed appearance that was also very pleasing to the eyes, and abruptly, she became a lot more likeable and enjoyable to be around.

By their basal nature, human beings had always possessed such vain, superficial desires and yearnings…

* * *

That day after the meeting with the other Elites, Rindou was in a noticeably cheery mood. She had been that way throughout the entire discussion, actually, even when she usually found this sort of thing quite dull and not entirely to her tastes. Eishi really envied her sometimes. She always seemed so energetic and he really wanted to know where she got all that vigor from so that he could steal some of it for himself. He probably needed it more than she did, since it seemed to him that he was doing most of the work out of two of them, anyway.

"What's up with you?" he had asked with halfhearted curiosity as he shuffled some papers around and tried to get everything into some semblance of order. The others were slowly making their way out of the conference room, though some like Isshiki, Kuga and Kinokuni were still at the table.

"I've got a Shokugeki~" the redhead sang, her slit gold eyes sparkling with excitement. It had only been one month into the school year and already she was bored silly. Not a lot of people wanted to challenge the members of the Elite Ten for obvious reasons and there were virtually none who were willing to take on the top Seats. That left Rindou with pretty much nothing to do…well, other than paperwork, that was, but those she tended to dump on Tsukasa as often as she could. He was starting to wise up faster to her antics lately though, unfortunately…

Eishi wanted to groan at her gleeful reply, already regretting that he had asked.

"…What? And you accepted?" he sounded betrayed. " _Why_ are you always generating even more work for me?"

She just rolled her eyes a bit at his complaint, though before she could speak, Nene interjected, looking at a piece of paper that she was holding.

"Are you sure, Rindou-senpai? I don't see your name on any of the approved Shokugeki battles on the pending list."

"Yeah, that's the mysterious thing!" Rindou commented happily. "I think the guy forgot to put in the request through the proper channels – I'm gonna look for him in a bit to find out. He asked to meet up first."

Eishi looked vaguely hopeful.

"You know, since the request for Shokugeki wasn't made officially, you're well within your rights to ignore it…?"

She snorted at him.

"Fat chance! Have you any idea how bored I've been these past few weeks? There's a whole crap load of nothin' to do and I can feel myself slowly aging and turning grey; that's how hopeless my life is! No way in hell am I turnin' this down!"

The white haired First Seat frowned faintly at her.

"If you're _that_ bored, you may want to consider actually doing your share of work and _not_ foisting them off on me first chance you get!"

It was as if she was completely deaf to his comment. Eishi groaned and barely resisted the urge to plant his face onto the desk. Why did he even bother. She _never_ listened.

"Ahaha," Isshiki chuckled, glancing between the First and Second Seats. "Was there anything about this particular challenger that interested you, Rindou-senpai?"

She shrugged.

"Huh? Not really, I guess. But I s'pose it'd be fun to pass the time or somethin'. 'Sides, he even took the consideration to write me a nice letter of challenge so it'd be really rude not to respond!"

"What nice letter?" her friend demanded, still peeved over the fact that now he was going to have more documents to file. "What does that have to do with cooking in the first place?"

In response, the redhead dug an envelope out from the side pocket of her school jacket. It was slightly crumpled, but on closer inspection, one could see that it was made of a really nice material, obviously chosen with care. Rindou pulled out the letter nestled within its confines, and the creased piece of paper looked just as expensive. She unfolded it to reveal the penned writings within.

" _Dear Kobayashi-san_ ," she read aloud for all of them to hear. " _You're amazing. I've quietly admired you for quite some time already, but had never actually possessed the courage to approach you until now. Even as I write this letter, I'm filled with nervousness… but if you're willing to respond to my feelings, please meet me at the courtyard after school today. I shall be hopefully awaiting your answer. Sincerely, yours_."

Before anyone had the chance to say anything, Rindou slapped the letter on the table.

" _See_? This has gotta be the nicest, most polite request for Shokugeki I've ever received! How can I _not_ go?"

She stood up and turned to Eishi, sticking her hand out to get something from him.

"Aight, I'm not gonna keep him waiting any longer. Gimme the papers for the Shokugeki, I'll make sure he signs it for sure!"

Eishi protested rather unhappily.

"Will you at least _please_ reconsider? Can't you just write him a letter back and say 'no thanks?' I'll even write it for you?"

The white haired First Seat was just really, _really_ intent on avoiding another stack of paperwork if he could, hence his rising desperation level. He held onto the folder with the proper Shokugeki documents in a death grip, not too willing to relinquish them to Rindou, so they had a brief tug-of-war over the file while the other members of the Elite Ten watched with varying levels of amusement and apathy.

"Let go, or you're gonna be sorry!"

…He let go, mainly because she was the kind who would do exactly as she said and he wasn't foolhardy enough to push his luck. She snatched the necessary forms and scooched off before he could change his mind.

"I'll be back later with the completed paperwork, seeya!"

Eishi sighed in depressed defeat, looking rather grey in the face. _Was he going to be able to go home tonight at this rate…_

The whole situation looked rather misleading.

The relationship between the First and Second Seats of the current Elite Ten was something that the others tried not to speculate on. Those two obviously knew each other very well and were very good friends…though sometimes one could not help but wonder if there were anything else going beyond the veneer of their platonic friendship.

Terunori finally spoke after a pause, looking a bit incredulous as he did so.

"…Really? Is nobody gonna comment 'bout how Rindou-senpai had just ran off to pick a fight with some poor schmuck who gave her a love confession?"

Isshiki seemed quietly amused, his aquamarine eyes twinkling. Kinokuni was as deadpan as ever. Their First Seat eyed the three, politely confused by the conflicting responses.

"…What do you mean?" Eishi asked, brow furrowing. "It wasn't a Shokugeki challenge?"

Now, everyone was just staring at him.

Five minutes and some thorough explanation later, it became very clear to all in the room that the latest generation of the Elite Ten was being headed by a pair of oblivious individuals who, while extremely powerful and knowledgeable about the culinary arts, knew next to nothing about how the rest of the world operated…

"…Is it really fine to let Rindou-senpai go off on her own like that?" the Sixth Seat asked.

Eishi looked blankly back at the other three, wondering why they were all still eying him like they were expecting him to do something about it. He speared his hand through his hair, already hassled enough with work.

"Yes. Rindou can take care of herself." There was no hesitation whatsoever in his response. No doubt whatsoever. Question addressed, the white haired seventeen-year-old started to flip papers again, mumbling under his breath. "Now, is anyone willing to help me sort out all these stacks of requests from the student body?"

His hopeful question cleared the room out in a hurry. The other Elites were quick to murmur excuses and make their exits, much to his consternation.

Half an hour later, Rindou wandered back into the meeting room with a visibly bewildered expression on her face. Eishi lifted his head from his work to eye his Second Seat curiously, and she passed him the sheaf of papers which she had stolen from him earlier.

"Here – the Shokugeki forms. You just need to sign 'em. Everything else has already been done."

He took the file somewhat reluctantly and slowly flipped through the pages, making sure that all the relevant sections were filled in accordingly.

"So, it really was a challenge?" he asked her. "…Not something else?"

The young woman appeared briefly surprised by his question.

"Oh, you knew?"

…No, actually he hadn't until he had been enlightened by the others, but she did not need to hear about that.

"It _wasn't_ a challenge?" he continued to query, brow furrowing. "Then what are these forms for?"

She shook her head, still looking rather mystified by the situation that had just occurred to her.

"…He said that he _liked_ me. I was expecting a Shokugeki…" Rindou actually sounded a bit put out and baffled.

"…" Eishi set down his pen and gave the other third year his full attention. "…So you went right ahead and asked the guy for one, anyway?"

She nodded and gave him a 'duh' look. "What else was I s'posed to do? I did also thank him though. For _liking_ me, that is…"

He sent her a faint look of disbelief. This woman really was a piece of work. But yet, perhaps a part of him had already guessed as much that she would have more or less responded as such. There was simply no corralling Kobayashi Rindou into anything she did not want to do. No way. No how. If she hadn't even known what was going on, then the likelihood of her accepting a confession was next to nil. Eishi knew her well enough to peg her reaction by now.

"He has an interesting demand though, if he wins," she sounded vaguely fascinated. Eishi's brow lifted.

"He's not challenging you for your Seat?" That was about the sum total of Shokugeki demands constantly thrown at them back when they first climbed up the ranks of the Elite Ten. Those who had barely made the cut all wanted to challenge them for their positions, though it did not take long for that bunch to finally come to the conclusion that their strength as the top best of their level was nothing to laugh at – they were _that_ overwhelming.

"Nope. He's not after my Seat – that's the funny part." Those curious golden eyes of her showed her intrigue. "Ne, Tsukasa, exactly what does a girlfriend do?"

Eishi stilled. He stared at Rindou incredulously. " _Excuse me_?"

"I know that there's handholding and going home together and whatnots. What else?" she asked, plopping down on the seat beside his to look at him as if he was the foremost expert on the subject…which he was most assuredly _not_.

He was beginning to turn an interesting shade of greyish purple in shock, stammering the entire while. "…E-Eh? _Why_ are you asking me?"

She shot him a faintly impatient look. "Well, you're a guy, aren't ya? Surely you have some opinion 'bout what a good girlfriend should be like. So spill it!"

He was starting to turn the color of puce. _What. The._ _ **Hell**_ _._

"This is not exactly a one-size-fits-all type of question," he spluttered, trying in vain to stall. "And why do I have to discuss this sort of thing with _you_?"

But Rindou crossed her arms before her chest, huffing. She wasn't having any of it. "You're the only guy I know whose opinion matters, though mainly 'coz you're so fussy and nitpicky. The sorta girl you'd accept as girlfriend material is probably gonna have to be a perfect angel or paragon of virtue, or something even better. You're the most ideal person to ask!"

His mouth opened, but he had no words. He also felt vaguely offended by her assumption. _Where on earth did she get all these strange ideas from?_ He closed his mouth, and then tried again. Nope. Still not computing. " _What_?"

Really; he was being about as useful as a chocolate teapot right now. She sighed. "Tsukasa, _focus_! Oh geeze. How hard can this be?"

"I don't spend my time thinking about girls!" he burst out in protest, a bit ruffled by her hassling. She stared at him curiously.

"Oh, you think about boys instead?" she asked, matter-of-fact. He _choked_. "Because that's fine too. Whaddya think about?"

Eishi desperately wanted to extricate himself out of this conversation. He felt like an animal trapped in hunter's snare, and was willing to gnaw off his own stuck limb in order to escape. He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. _Oh, god. Why._

He opened his eyes suddenly and pale lavender hues _glowered_ at her.

"Rindou. Relationships are the least of my concerns right now. I don't think about girls _or_ boys, okay? I think about how to further perfect my cooking, and _then_ I worry about all the work and responsibility I have to take care of as First Seat. Do you think I still have time to ponder other extraneous things?"

Welp. He had a point there. She settled back down, grumbling.

"You're being no help whatsoever, I hope you know that."

He was not the least sympathetic to her complaints. He picked up his pen and started to sign his consent in recognizing this Shokugeki as an official event, wanting to get this whole thing over with as quickly as possible. "Why even are you suddenly so interested in this topic, anyway?" he muttered under his breath. She had never been the kind to bother about this sort of thing in the first place, in as far as he had known her.

"'Coz if I lose this Shokugeki, I agreed to become his girlfriend. So I was kinda wondering exactly what I've signed myself up for."

His pen _cracked_ between his fingers.

" _ **What**_ _!_?"

Rindou was just frowning at him, none too amused by his reaction. "You seriously need to clean out your ears more, Tsukasa. Are you suddenly hard of hearing or something? Quit reacting to every other thing I say like a half deaf grandma."

He ignored her disgruntled commentary.

" _Why_ would you _even_ agree to this sort of terms-"

"Because I don't intend to lose, of course! I'm gonna win this thing for sure!"

He flipped to the page on the form to see what the offered reparations were. Sure enough, the challenger was requesting for Kobayashi Rindou to be his significant other should he win the culinary battle against her, redefining the meaning of 'to the victor, goes the spoils.' Eishi's temple _twitched_. In return, he was offering to feed her and bring her anything she wanted to eat for the entire year if she won – basically availing himself to sate her desires, then.

…Somebody had obviously done their homework. It was a fail proof strategy, designed for the sole purpose of capturing the flitting, elusive attention of the Second Seat.

If he was that guy, Eishi knew _exactly_ which option out of the two he would actively influence. He had no doubt that Rindou would win this Shokugeki for sure.

That swell of gnawing irritation _grew_. The idea of someone else appealing to his best friend was not sitting too well with him, now that he was being forcefully confronted with it.

"C'mon, Tsukasa!" Rindou urged. "Just sign it, quick! Time's a tickin'!"

"As you wish." Looking visibly aggravated, Eishi picked up his pen – the ink cartridge had survived – and wrote something over the document in swift, bold strokes. He flipped the file shut and passed the whole thing back to Rindou. "Here."

The redhead eagerly opened the document only to be met with a sobering sight.

" _What_?! Tsukasa Eishi, what's the meaning of this?" she screeched.

Written across the front of the document in the neat, flowing script of the First Seat, was just one word.

 _ **REJECTED.**_

" _Why_?!"

Eishi was reaching for his next folder, slowly returning to his previous state of composed semi-apathy.

"The terms of the challenge are unacceptable," he pointed out. "The demand he made has nothing to do with fulfilling the spirit of Shokugeki, whereas yours is representative of nothing more than plain greed." He raised one hand and lightly flicked her brow in faint reprimand. She wrinkled her nose.

" _Oooh_ , you just wanna ruin this good thing for me!" she complained, rubbing at her forehead. "This was a fine deal! Free food for a year! Everything I want!"

"I'm already feeding you for free, aren't I?" he interjected blankly. "Just how exactly are you intending to test taste my dishes if you're off stuffing yourself elsewhere?"

"And what am I s'posed to tell that guy now?"

"You may tell him that if he insists on pursuing this, then I shall be left with no choice but to respond to his challenge…and my demands for compensation will be certain to make yours look like a walk in the park."

While she was busy frowning at him in displeasure, he swiftly moved to close the subject matter once and for all by setting a stack of paperwork in front of her for her to deal with.

"Here; this is your share. You ran off before I could hand it to you. Just sit here and finish this. Don't think about going anywhere until you do."

She looked at him like he was the most terrible person she had ever met.

"Huh?! You just want me to never have fun and turn into a boring, withered paper pusher like you. I refuse!"

His brow throbbed at her accusation, but otherwise he maintained his calm.

"I don't mind you mouthing off, but _please_ start doing your work or neither of us are going to go home tonight."

"Meanie! Spoilsport! Killjoy! Wet blanket Tsukasa! _Boo_!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Okay, so this is the continuation for the previous chapter…or more like I originally wanted to explore the ideas on here in 'Lean on me,' but as previously mentioned, I never really got the chance to do so because the plot puttered off elsewhere instead.

Like some of you have already pointed out, _yes!_ My Rindou is a (somewhat) innocent cinnamon roll…which is really hilarious to me because everyone just expects her to be some sort of sexy femme fatale obviously. Not that Eishi is any better, mind you. These two are both extremely brilliant in their chosen field…but because they are so very focused in what they do, they sometimes get completely lost when it comes to other supposedly 'normal' functions of life, lol. Now you know why Peerless is a slowburn-ish fic – this couple really takes their time to come around, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Title for this chapter was inspired by an amusing mental imagery I had of chibi!Eishi picketing stakes with signs saying 'Do NOT feed my dragon' around chibi!Rindou. Some of you wanted more jealous!EiRin so I hope this hits the spot. Jealous!Eishi is really fun to write because he's rather oblivious of his own feelings – well, at this stage of his life at least. Let's hope that he gains a clue sometime soon because Rindou might as well be orbiting in outer space right now for all the situational awareness she has in this matter.

Isn't it great when your OTP is in love and oblivious? Lol.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 17 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 5973

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 11/06/17

* * *

 **Eyes on me**

* * *

You're going to meet this girl, this woman, and she's going to flip your world upside down. But if she's the one, you'll ask yourself how you ever lived right side up.

— Nicholas A Browne

* * *

Tsukasa Eishi was _not_ a touchy feely sort of person.

If anything, he possessed something of a touch-aversive personality. It was not that he _hated_ being touched per se – he was ambivalent for the long and short of it – but it was more the touching other people part that he had the greatest trouble with. Reaching out to other individuals, connecting with other human beings in this most basic, physical way of conveying feelings and emotions – he had always had a problem in comfortably doing so. One issue was his own fussy, anxiety prone nature that made it difficult for him to properly express himself without that inevitable stir of pessimism clouding his thoughts and casting doubt with regards to his actions, leading directly to the next problem of his constantly second guessing himself and worrying if whatever he was doing would be deemed offensive or regarded as a negative experience to the people around him. In the end, the whole thing always seemed more trouble than it was worth.

All in all, interacting with people was always stressful for him, the only difference laid in the level of stress he incurred with respect to the type of interaction he was having as well as the identity of the individuals whom he was with. He had grown better at managing his aversion over the years, his discomfort becoming so subtle that people tended to think that he was just being his usual eccentric self, but that had not always been the case, especially back when he was younger.

As such, when Eishi first discovered cooking, he very quickly fell in deep, earnest passion for the culinary arts. In cooking, he found another way to reach out to people without having to go through the entire song and dance of having to constantly read them and second guess their intention and fret over their reaction to him. In cooking, everything became simplified and straightforward. He only had to worry about delivering the flawless results that they had come to him for, and his response to their demands was always nothing less than exquisite. People were happy with what he made for them, he was happy not having to deal with them directly _yet_ still managing to get his ideas and inspirations conveyed across to his audience, and in the end, everyone got what they wanted. Win-win situation.

However, even in the perfection he sought, in that meticulous, immaculate creations that came from his kitchen, flaunting his precise control over this domain where he was both lord and master, his sense of self remained thoroughly suppressed. Not a _hint_ of himself was allowed to be found in his cooking – he was like an invisible ghost, an untraceable phantom, and that suited him just fine. He had never sought attention, had never wanted to be noticed in the first place. He had even gone so far as to draw a clear, distinct line between himself and what was allowed to be presented to those who ate and experienced his food, and that impassable separation made all the difference.

After all, he was flawed, faulty, and full of insecurities.

If his cooking was destined to be nothing less than impeccable perfection…then it was _absolutely_ imperative that he kept himself completely out of it.

It was as simple and as complicated as that.

For the most parts, his steadily growing fanbase supported his beautifully elusive, mysterious style. They raved over his pristine methodologies and waxed poetic over his amazing talent. At face value, hidden behind the elaborate veil of his fantastic cooking, he was simply, divinely _perfect_.

But those who truly knew him for what he really was, knew better than to actually believe so.

Rindou was obviously amongst those select few individuals, but then again, he never could hide anything from her in the first place. They were intertwined too closely for him to pull that same trick on her; she knew him too well, watched him too often for it to ever work…

That time during the Moon Banquet Festival in their third year, he still remembered that one innocuous comment that she had made in reference to him, as well as his subsequent response to her.

 _Someday…I'd like to taste a dish that's got more of you in it._

… _My cooking doesn't need any of me in it._

Even now, he could still see in his mind's eye the quiet, knowing amusement that lurked in that cat slit gaze of hers as she studied him those years ago, and while she hadn't pursued the subject further, he had known better to think that she had been fooled like Yukihira and the others. She had _always_ possessed that infuriating ability to pierce through all the formidable layers of armor that he had so carefully donned around himself, exposing all those imperfections that he had tried to hide…but maybe that was also why he felt so at ease and comfortable around her even in spite of that.

She knew him for all that he was…and she still stuck around, anyway.

Then, they actually got together, somehow miraculously after all those long, patiently enduring years of friendship – sometimes the realization that she actually _wanted_ him still threw him in for a loop – and once more, their relationship was starting to evolve all over again.

And therein laid all the new problems and conflicts, waiting to be slowly resolved by the new couple.

Coming full circle back to the latest little conundrum that he was currently experiencing.

To reiterate once again, Tsukasa Eishi was _not_ a touchy feely sort of person…but Kobayashi Rindou was.

She had always been a physical, tactile creature. She was demonstrative and open and always oh so incredibly _warm_. Mesmerizing heat and fiery hair, flashing gold eyes and crimson, smirking lips.

She was _perfect_.

She ate too much but always with great relish. She was too loud and quite bewilderingly weird at times but she was never unkind or thoughtless. She was bossy and nosy and was always getting into other people's business but she was also painfully loyal and she always took care of her friends and she did her best to fight for them. She was always doing things with no care or regard for the consequences, always living her life to the fullest in the here and now. All the many endless little imperfections that he could list down one by one from all the years that he had known her, that should irk him to no end, but yet, she was still utterly perfect as she was.

He had never been a touchy feely sort of person, but he _wanted_ to touch her.

The problem was _he did not know how_.

She, obviously, had no such problem. Growing up together, she had always been the one with all the playful side-checks, amused nudges, curious pokes, amiable back slaps. Almost all the contact that they shared were initiated by her. He was more reserved, but that was fine because she was more than willing to pick up the slack. He never really had any need to reach out for all the physical exchanges because she was already doing them anyhow, and he was content with the status quo. And it was the same now…and that was fast becoming a concerning issue, as Eishi was starting to realize. Nothing had changed.

Precisely. _Nothing_ had changed.

They were… _dating_ , weren't they? Or at least Eishi believed so – they hadn't exactly sat down and discussed the ramifications of what _kissing_ each other meant. Rindou had certainly seemed to enjoy that new activity shared between them, and so did he, for the matter…but outside of the hungry, dizzying make out sessions, it was as if everything else had stayed the same. Dating involved an increased level of closeness, right? Touches, handholding, subtle displays of fondness? Eishi was not quite sensing any difference…which made him start to wonder and second guess himself again.

Maybe they weren't dating, after all? Maybe Rindou had decided that he would make an adequate partner to practice kissing with and they were just fooling around? The thought made uneasiness ripple through him. …But she still frequently nudged him for attention and grabbed him by the arm whenever something caught her interest and she was eager to show him. She still looped her arm around his sometimes as they walked down the streets, especially when it was freezing and she was not-so-subtly trying to steal his body heat. She still leaned into him when she was curiously reading whatever article he was looking at on his phone over his shoulder. The comfort she derived around him was easy and casual, but that was also how she had _always_ been around him. She had never actually demanded or _forced_ him to bend his will to her whims – or at least not anything that he expressly did _not_ want to do…and she wasn't about to start now, even as their relationship was changing into something that expected more intimacy.

…Maybe it was _him_ who needed to be the one to change a little, he was starting to realize…

"Tsukasa, look! Roasted chestnuts! I didn't know that they have 'em here in Paris too!" Her golden eyes sparkled brightly with interest as she observed the roadside stand at the corner of the street. "What do they taste like? Do they roast 'em the same way back home? Oh, they smell so good! Let's get some!"

She started to dart forward to the stall, but before she could go too far, he impulsively reached out and caught her hand unthinkingly. The callused tips of his long, graceful digits brushed against hers, and then he held onto her.

… _Now what?_

She paused in her steps to stare at their linked hands in bemused interest, and then she looked at him, a faint question lingering in her eyes. But he said nothing, even as he quietly interlaced their fingers together and then tucked their joined appendages into the pocket of his coat. It wasn't because he was trying to be aloof and cool as he stared ahead and kept walking, wordlessly tugging her along with him. The tips of his ears were tinged the faintest pink; he was embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing but he was trying, _for her_.

Her gaze glowed with quiet amusement and realization as she watched him…which really did not help in abating his discomfiture. He really needed to _think_ harder about the consequences of this sort of things before he went right ahead to do them, he decided dourly-

But then her slender fingers squeezed his, and they were _warm_.

"Tsukasa," she whispered, cat slit eyes dancing with humor. He slanted her a wary glance.

"…Yes?"

"I don't mind holding hands, but how are we going to peel the chestnuts later with only one free hand between the both of us?"

"…"

* * *

The problem with the studio apartment that he was currently living in was that the furnishings were meant for the occupancy of one person. One bachelor, to be exact. _Him_. Everything in there was minimal but functional and there was very little clutter so that made it easy for him to keep the place neat and tidy. Eishi _especially_ liked his living quarters to be neat and tidy, and knowing exactly where everything was. For the most parts, this small apartment that was his temporary residence in Paris suited his needs just fine.

Rindou coming to stay with him for a few days just meant that he had to accommodate the presence of another human being in his private domain, but this was not the first time, and she was Rindou, so he could deal. She was not the neatest roommate for sure, but she wasn't entirely messy either. She just made her presence felt. The bathroom carried the faint, lingering scent of her body wash and shampoo. Her toothbrush sat in the glass container together with his by the sink. Her comb as well as assortment of accessories and lotion were scattered amongst his on the counter. Her coat was carelessly strewn over the back of a chair. The Daruma she gave him guarded his kitchen table, lending a bright splash of color to the otherwise sleek and impersonal surroundings.

Whenever Rindou was around, his place suddenly felt more lived in, softer around the edges, homey. He could not quite understand it, let alone begin to explain this mysterious phenomenon. But he did not dislike it either, simply accepting this comfort that always seemed to come with her.

Like that time when she had visited him in Barcelona, he had ceded his bed to her. Or rather, this time she did not have to bully him into giving up his bed, so at least he had become more automatically compliant to her demands (it was impossible to resist her anyway hence he did not even try). The couch was a sofa bed which also served as his sleeping space, conveniently working around the limited floor area of the studio suite. Since she occupied the bed, he brought out the spare futon to use instead, taking the floor the last couple of nights she was staying in Paris.

It was her last evening here with him, anyway. Tomorrow morning, he was going to have to send her to the airport and put her on a flight heading back to Japan, and with her, she would take away all that easy banter and aching familiarity and teasing warmth that she had always shared so generously and openly with him. He already felt a pang of loss at the thought of their imminent separation, that feeling so much more potent compared to their previous parting. Maybe it was because this time around he knew exactly what he was letting go. This time there was no pretending away just what she represented, and that he was going to miss her just because she reminded him of _home_.

He wanted to sigh.

This relationship thing was unexpectedly… _difficult._

Wasn't it supposed to get easier after they got over that first big hurdle? It felt more to Eishi like he had just been momentarily airlifted from the deep end of a diving pool…only to be unceremoniously dropped right into the middle of the deep, fathomless ocean. He was in over his head.

"…Tsukasa." A hand waved before his face. " _Psst_. Earth to Tsukasa. Are you in there, space ranger?"

He blinked and her face filled his vision. He started a bit, not expecting to be so out of it that he hadn't registered her stealthy approach. She started to look faintly amused all over again, the beginnings of an impish smirk lifting her lips, exposing a tiny hint of her fang.

Those long, sharp incisors of hers were very distracting, he could not help but think not for the first time. They brought attention to the shape of her full mouth, the lush curves of those Cupid's bow lips. The fact that he now knew how soft and tender that mouth felt against his own made it even harder to ignore. And then there was the fact that he could never ignore her in the first place…

That urge to sigh in abject misery grew in intensity. _Why_. Why was his life so full of difficulty and suffering.

"Geeze, you sure look like you're going to be a bundle of fun tonight," she commented sardonically. It was late, they were already starting to wind down. They had spent all of day visiting the various notable sights in Paris and he had helped to haul back all the random knickknacks and souvenirs that she had bought for the people she had waiting for her back home. Most of that evening had been spent packing everything away, and soon she would be gone too, in a few more hours' time.

The expression on his face was _not_ a happy one, and the reason for his discontent was obvious enough. He wouldn't hide it – it was no use to do that with her, anyway.

She was already changed into her night shirt, a button down, knee length cotton affair that was more comfortable than anything else. The material was loose and billowing, the collar undone and showing off the jut of her clavicles and the graceful line of her smooth, bared throat. Her red hair fell loosely down her shoulders, framing her face, rippling down her back, and she looked entirely ready for bedtime. So was he, for the matter, in a shirt and a pair of sleeping pants. Rindou plopped onto his bed that she had claimed as her own. She drew her bare legs up to the side, and then she petted the mattress beside her, looking at him.

"Tsukasa," she spoke his name again, her voice steady and clear. Not a hint of hesitation whatsoever. "Sleep with me tonight."

He stilled and _stared_ at her, his gaze focusing on her face, the way she looked so serene and sure of what she wanted sitting there, that he felt a bit resentful because it was as if he was the only one being all tripped up and on tenterhooks right now.

" _Sleep_ …with you?" he sounded a bit taken aback, but she only nodded.

" _Mm_. The bed is big enough for two in the first place," she replied blithely, and that was how he realized that she really had no subterfuge or hidden meaning behind her request. He did not know whether to be relieved or disappointed by that understanding. "C'mere and lie down with me." She smirked playfully. "I won't bite this time, I promise~"

She did not really wait for his reply, reaching down to grab his pillow and set it beside hers. She pulled back the covers and watched him expectantly. "Dim the lights first, though."

She was really bossy as usual, but since he would have done the same even without her instructions, he went and switched off most of the lights in the apartment, leaving only the one in front of the bathroom on. Then he went back to her, hesitating at the foot of the bed.

"Are you sure?" he asked, still a bit lost and not entirely understanding her intent.

She nodded, but when he was slow to climb in with her, she reached out, hand catching his own, and wordlessly coaxed him into bed. He could only follow. They laid back down and settled in, but he was still rigid when she went straight for him, fitting into his side so naturally like it was as if she had always been doing so all her life. Her arms snaked around his middle, her face tucked into side of his neck. She was very warm, and very soft, pressed up against him like that.

She hummed happily.

"You're too stiff," she murmured by his ear, her warm breath puffing against his earlobe and causing his awareness of her to become even more intensely _acute_. And indeed he was both bewildered and a bit tensed _. What was she doing?_ Once again, he wasn't quite sure what to do in this situation, his arms held taut by his side, not knowing if he should reach out for her, or not.

"Relax," she whispered, and then she pressed little soft kisses up the length of his ivory throat, her fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt, stretching out half over him like a content feline, wordlessly claiming him. He closed his eyes, focusing on the pleasure of her lips, the way she caressed his skin with that rosy mouth of hers. A soft, shuddering exhalation escaped him, and his fingers twitched. The need to feel her beneath his hands, to memorize and appreciate the warm, tangible feel of her was overwhelming. It was more than just desire that he would seek from her. It was _intimacy_.

She paused after she kissed her way to his jaw, and then she drew back slightly once more, resting her pointed chin on his shoulder and just watching him. Her golden eyes glimmered in the semi-darkness.

"I'm waiting," she announced, and he opened hazy lavender eyes, looked at her.

"…Waiting?" His voice was slightly husky, and her pupils dilated a bit at that delicious roughened lilt of his quiet tenor.

She nodded. "Mm-hm. I'm waiting for you to take advantage of me."

He wondered if he was hearing correctly.

"… _Huh_?"

"I read the books," she told him. "I'm supposed to lead you to bed, cuddle up to you, and then you're supposed to take advantage of my moment of vulnerability and have your wicked way with me."

His tension went away in a hurry at her ludicrous comment. "…Wait, _what_?" _Exactly what sort of books has she been reading?_

Who was filling her head with all this nonsense, he thought with growing exasperation. And then came his next realization. He paused and stared at her. "You want me to take advantage of you…and have my…wicked way with you?"

He sounded completely gobsmacked _. Was she serious?_

"Yeah…? Am I not displaying my womanly charms enough?" Her hands went up to the front of her nightshirt. "You're supposed to be all over me by now, sheesh."

His eyes widened when she started to undo more of her buttons, revealing the shadowed hints of her pale, milky cleavage…and that was when he realized that she wasn't wearing anything under that nightshirt. _Oh, god._

This time, his hands quickly came up to cover hers, stopping her in her tracks.

"What are you _doing_?" he asked sharply, alarmed. He pushed her hands away and hurriedly buttoned her back up, all the way to her collar in fact, until there were no more buttons left for him to button. She looked a bit like a virginal nun by then. An incredibly sexy, disheveled, virginal nun, with a full, heaving bosom that he was having trouble tearing his gaze away from, but that was neither here nor there…

Rindou was not the least pleased with his chivalrous considerations, though.

"Tsukasa, you're supposed to take off my clothes, not put them back on!" She was complaining.

"No, I'm not taking off your clothes. In fact, nobody is taking off anything tonight-"

This was a bad idea. This was a TERRIBLE idea. He should have known better than to let her lure him into her bed. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"Why are you doing this?" His heart wasn't going to be able take all this excitement. She kept pulling this sort of things on him one after another and he was always sent reeling and disoriented each time she did. Were it anyone else he would have given up by now. He was not the type to enjoy surprises, and she, she had always had this _effortless_ ability to bring him to his knees. Sometimes he wished that she did not hold so much power over him.

"IT'S BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO _SEDUCE_ YOU, STUPID," she bellowed at last, glowering at him for being so bright when it came to certain things but a dense block of wood when it came to others. "Do you even want me or not? Because sometimes I can't tell at all, Tsukasa. Are you just going with the flow because I kissed you first? If you don't want me at all, then just come up front and tell me! Don't _pity_ me!"

His mouth opened, but no words came out. He was visibly stunned by her outburst. And then he saw that glint of hurt in her eyes, and it felt like he had just been decked himself.

Oh. _**Oh**_. He was wrong. It wasn't just him who had been feeling uncertain in this relationship, he was starting to realize. This was entirely new to her too. It wasn't as if she had any other means of comparison to figure out what was going on…and he had wounded her because of his own doubts and hesitation. God knew how she must have felt for all the times she had reached out and he had looked like he would rather be anywhere but there with her.

She scrambled upright and threw the covers aside. She looked ready to leave. That sight finally spurred him into desperate, instinctive action. He didn't want her to run from him. The very thought of it sent distress rippling through his entire being. What would he do without her in his life? She had been a permanent fixture for as long as he could remember. He would be utterly lost without her.

"… _Wait_. W-Wait!" He pushed himself up and lunged at her before she could get out of the bed. His arms curled around her torso, and he hauled her back before she could take flight. She struggled furiously, of course, but he was stronger and he held her close, refusing to let her go.

"I want you. I do so _want_ you, Rindou."

She turned her head and glared venomously at him. He withered a bit. He had never actually been the recipient of one of her glares before but that basilisk stare could petrify stone.

"Don't _lie_ to me. You cannot even bear to touch me."

He shook his head quickly, almost stuttering in disbelief at her mistaken assumption. How could she even _think_ that- "T-That's not it. That's not why-" he broke off, sighing loudly. She was still glaring ferociously and that made him wilt further. He didn't like being at the receiving end of her displeasure, he was quickly realizing. He slumped a bit, but still, he did not dare to let her go.

"You always make things so hard for me," he accused unhappily. She started to stiffen, eyes flashing like an enraged dragon, but he ignored her to continue. "It always feels you're three steps ahead and one skip to the side and I'm forever scrambling to keep up with you. You're really infuriating, you know."

She was starting to twitch. Was he taking this opportunity to pick at her faults?

"If you're so-"

He squeezed her subtly with faint reprimand, and the rest of her words died in her throat.

"Quiet, _you_. I'm not finished yet."

She gazed at him in muted surprise. … _When did he become so assertive?_

"What I'm trying to say is this; you drive me up the wall, Kobayashi Rindou. You always have. You derail my carefully made plans, and you make my resolve waver. And now, you're testing my self-control. I _cannot_ possibly touch you tonight and still put you on that plane in a few hours' time. …Do you get it now, or am I going to have to say it even clearer?"

He sighed miserably again, mumbling into her hair. "…Actually, I'm not confident that I can touch you and not want to go home with you when you have to leave. So, _please_ have mercy on your poor boyfriend."

…He called himself her boyfriend. She stared at him. "…What exactly are you trying to ask of me? No, wait. Before you answer, let me go first."

She was starting to calm now, but he still eyed her suspiciously. This might be a trick to get him to lower his guard, for all he knew.

"Are you going to run? Or are you going to head butt me?" he asked warily. He wanted to be mentally prepared for all the contingencies, just in case.

She glowered at him.

"Am I only allowed to pick one of these two choices?" she asked him in return, her tone dangerously even.

He swiftly shook his head. "…No, I'd rather you not pick any of those two, actually.'

"Then let me go," she insisted.

She wasn't going to budge until he did, he could tell as much. So, after another beat of hesitation, he loosened his hold on her.

She immediately turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him deeply. Aggressively.

He rocked back in surprise, but this alternative was much, much preferable to the first two which he had suggested, though before he could settle in and kiss her back, she pushed him away. She licked her lips and watched him intently with those gold slit eyes of hers, crossing her arms before her chest, waiting.

"Okay. Now tell me. What are you asking of me?"

She had always been a smart one. She already, instinctively, knew where he was going when he started to lead in with this topic. His pale lavender eyes met hers steadily.

"…I want you to _wait_ for me."

"…Wait for you," she repeated slowly. She was silent for a while, silently considering. "For how long?"

"One year," he told her. "I need only one more year, and then I'll come home to you."

He needed one more year to perfect his cooking, one more year to refine all the techniques that he had learned and assimilated, one more year before he was ready to return to Japan for good. And until then, he could not afford to entertain…distractions, and she was the biggest one he knew. His Achilles' heel.

"One year…" she trailed off, before her gaze focused on his again. Inscrutable. "A lot of things can happen in that time."

 _She could lose interest in him. Someone better might come along and charm their way into her good graces. She might decide that he was not worth all the trouble…_

He knew what she was trying to do. He had anticipated it, even. She had always been so feisty – she would not tame easy now, and he had just stung her pride.

Something that seemed almost like affectionate amusement flickered across his lavender eyes.

"Perhaps so," he agreed. "But you _will_ wait for me all the same."

It wasn't a question now, not with that confident way he spoke. He was calling her bluff.

Her eyes narrowed, but he was undaunted, for this evening she had inadvertently showed him two unbeatable truths, and the trump cards he now held close to his chest.

"You'll wait for me, Rindou, because you want me…and I am _yours_."

Her gaze flickered, and she _glared_. She looked ominously close to livid again, but he held his nerve. _Steady, now…_

"Are you, really?" she asked challengingly. _How dare he._ This was the man who was boldly forsaking her and was now setting her aside in order to pursue his first love. To say that the fierce, acidic fire roiling in her chest right now was _not_ raging jealousy would be a lie. And he was even selfish enough to command her to _wait_ for him-

He held her glittering gaze unwaveringly. His reply was quiet, unhesitating.

"Yes. I am."

There was nothing else left for him to say. All his cards were on the table. He had just backed her into a corner and there were only two ways that she could possibly react at this point. He knew which he was banking his hopes on.

She was unnervingly silent for the longest moment.

At last, she leaned in towards his, nostrils flaring with pique. She looked incredibly, breathtakingly, _beautifully_ angry.

"I am going to make you _suffer_ this whole, entire year."

Pleasure filled him, even as he smiled faintly at her, not the least intimidated by her threat. "You're already making me suffer a lot."

But it wasn't the kind of suffering he was unwilling to bear.

Of course she would wait for him – he left her no choice. But that did not mean she wasn't going to extract her pound of flesh in the process, and she could be vindictive. He was making her play second fiddle to his cooking, and as much as she was _seething_ over it, she also would not force him to put herself before that thing that he loved the most. It was ludicrous, this position that he had put her in – other women got to be jealous of actual human competition for their partners' attention. She was jealous because he had just proven without a doubt the lengths he would go to for the sake of his cooking. She had never thought herself to be a particularly possessive individual, but he drove her crazy, too.

 _Would she still want to have anything to do with him if he was otherwise, though…_

She undid the first couple of buttons at her collar, scowling a bit more at him before her brow smoothed out, and she visibly calmed again. He started to get a bit apprehensive. She was plotting something in that head of hers and he was sitting right at the top of her shit list right now.

"…Fine. If you can't touch me for a year, _then_ _you_ _will_ _watch_."

He didn't understand what she meant at first. Without another word, with the grace and aplomb of a young queen, she reached down to grab the hem of her nightshirt, and in one smooth, fluid move, she pulled it over her head and tossed the material onto the floor.

And then she was gloriously, proudly, naked before him, all flawless, porcelain skin and soft, smooth curves, red, fiery hair and heated, glowing eyes.

His world came to an absolute standstill. His breath caught in his throat. It was as if somebody had punctured his lungs, because all the air had suddenly left him.

He could do nothing else but _stare_.

 _ **Look**_ _. This is what you're giving up,_ she was silently telling him.

" _Rindou_." His voice was strangled.

Oh, _god_.

She lounged back and stretched out boldly over his pillows, unfurling languidly, the sensuous warmth of her body sinking into his sheets, her heady, mesmerizing scent lingering amongst his bedding. She was well aware that he was going to have this image of her _seared_ into his brain for as long as he lived.

 _Good_.

Her hair tumbled down one bare shoulder in a cloud of silken crimson. She ran a slender hand carelessly over the swell of her high, full breast and then down along that narrow, graceful dip of her waist, to the enticing flare of her hips. His darkened eyes followed the flowing, elegant movement, automatically slowing as they caressed her lush figure with his heated gaze, lingering along her lean, toned thighs, her long, coltish legs. Her dangerous cat slit eyes were turbulent and hungry, and she bit her kiss swollen lips, a throbbing, heavy spike of feminine excitement racing though her at the way he was staring at her.

He was right. She _wanted_ him, and the fact that she would not be able to have him until a year later was almost enough to make her howl in frustration. Her only consolation was that he seemed to want her just as badly. It was a pyrrhic victory at best, because they could not have each other regardless.

But now was not the time to think about that. Now, she had his full, undivided attention, and she intended to make the most of it. Her palm briefly cradled her heavy breast, feminine fingers lightly tracing the soft, plump flesh in a way that made her wish that it was his tongue marking her instead. No matter. She would close her eyes and imagine. Her head lolled back lazily, eyes fluttering shut, exposing that elegant, enticing column of her neck. Her fingers caressed her aching, unlearned body tenderly.

Everything about her invited, cajoled, begged for his _touch_.

She was so _cruel_.

" _Eishi_ ," she sighed huskily, her fingers slowly drifting lower. He shuddered at the deliberate way those red, _red_ lips of hers caressed his name, this young, vengeful goddess intent on driving him to madness.

" _Don't take your eyes off me, okay?"_

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Moral of the story: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Some of you wrote in the comments wondering if Rindou could get jealous, after experiencing the last couple of chapters of jelly!Eishi, lol. The answer is obviously yes! The only reason why Rindou doesn't get easily jealous of Eishi with respect to his dealings with other people is because she understands him well enough to know where the real threat lies, and it's most definitely _not_ the people because we all already know how people avoidant Eishi can be.

Jealous!Rindou, well, she can be a rampaging dragoness on the warpath, so it's good that she doesn't easily get that way unless really pissed off, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I hadn't intended to breach the M-rated parts of Peerless this quick, but welp, the plot ran away from me again. Anyway, this is just borderline M at most, but I'm upping the rating for this series just in case.

So yeah, there might be smut in future chapters, we'll see!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 20 y.o.

This installment actually follows right after chapter six's ' **If you're hungry and you know it**.' Eishi and Rindou at this age are kinda a strange mix of youth and awkward inexperience combined with an ever growing need/intensity to express themselves and explore each other. Rindou in particular, as you can see in this chapter, is a confusing/beguiling mix of innocence and budding sensuality and I don't envy Eishi at all for being in his position. (RIP Eishi, haha!)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The quote at the beginning of this chapter was something I came across while I was browsing through tumblr, and I thought it pretty much embodied the whole EiRin ship in summary. I love it. If I could I'd slap it on every chapter and yell it at everyone passing by, ahahaha.

…Please ignore the idiosyncrasies of this idiot fangirl.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, I've always wondered about Eishi and his curious ideology of keeping himself out of his cooking. I've always wondered how he might have started with that incredible drive of his to develop his culinary ability to such an impossibly honed, refined edge, to the degree of completely removing himself from _tainting_ his cooking, and the beginning of this chapter reflects some of my headcanons, I guess. Do feel free to share your thoughts if you have any! I'm always happy to jabber about conspiracy theories if you guys are willing to share!

Thanks for reading, as always! Happy weekend, y'all! :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3816

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 13/06/17

* * *

 **Here kitty kitty**

* * *

Eishi was at his office in the restaurant dealing with some paperwork that afternoon when his phone rang. Taking a cursory glance at the caller id, the twenty six year old frowned slightly at the familiar name he saw flashing on the screen.

Hayashi Shigeo was Rindou's manager, and while he was a recognized presence in the household, it was not often that Eishi would receive calls from his wife's assistant-cum-advisor-slash-chauffer-slash-events-scheduler. Faintly curious, he took the call.

"Tsukasa," he greeted absently as he shuffled through some papers. "Yes, Hayashi-san? How may I help you?"

"Hello, Tsukasa-san," the other voice crackled over the phone. "Is it convenient for you to talk? You're not handling anything sharp or dangerous right now, are you? If so, I'd require you to step aside from whatever you're doing for a bit for the rest of this call."

That strange, disconcerting suspicion that something was not quite right grew. Eishi set down his paperwork in order to focus on the conversation.

"…No, I'm not in the kitchen right now. What's going on? Did something happen?"

There was a brief hesitation that did not bode well for his growing apprehension.

"Anou, Tsukasa-san, before I begin, please rest assured that everything is under control and Rindou-san is receiving the best medical care right now. Please keep that in mind and stay calm, alright?"

Eishi had gone still the moment Rindou's name was mentioned in conjunction with the terrifying rest of the sentence that no spouse ever wanted to hear in a phone call. Regardless of the manager's attempt at delicacy, it was impossible to _stay calm_ in light of the incomplete information that he had just been given. The white haired man's grip on his phone turned his knuckles bloodless as his mind frantically tried to figure out what it all meant. His pessimistic imaginations and particular attention to detail helpfully attempted to fill in the blanks with all the worst case scenarios, each one even more horrifically catastrophic than the last.

Whatever color Eishi had on his naturally pale complexion bleached _white_.

"…Hayashi-san." He managed to speak after a significant pause, his voice becoming very quiet, very blank. Entirely devoid of emotion. It was the only way he could cope right now, by willfully suppressing his chaotic thoughts and feelings to be dealt with later.

" _What._ _ **Happened**_."

* * *

She had been shooting for an interview that afternoon when one of the overhead filming equipment got loose and fell on her. The professional movie camera had a combined weight of over eight kilos when it toppled from a height of nearly three meters, and it had clipped her on the head on its way down. The hardy piece of equipment survived the impact miraculously unscathed, but Rindou, not so much. The unconscious redhead had promptly been conveyed to the city hospital via an ambulance that had been kept on set on standby for such emergencies, and was being received and treated at the accident and emergency department when her worried (frantic) husband burst into scene anxious to ascertain for himself that his wife was indeed not in a life threatening state of being and about to leave him and their infant son to transcend towards another plane of metaphysical existence.

Her manager was spluttering with guilt ridden apologies as he followed in the wake of his charge's significant other, even if the accident was exactly just that – an _accident_ – and no fault of his whatsoever. Still, Shigeo could not help but feel partly responsible for the whole fracas as well as the resulting emotional distress that had been incurred. In all the years that he had known Tsukasa Eishi, the manager had never seen the man so visibly worked up and agitated as he did now. The young, world famous chef possessed his curious…quirks and eccentricities that Rindou-san enjoyed teasing him about for sure, but Shigeo had always thought that the man was quite placid and gentle in temperament for the most parts, certainly more so than his adventurous and incredibly rambunctious and outgoing wife.

…As such, this steely-eyed, razor sharp, passively _aggressive_ alter ego that seemed to have erupted out of nowhere and thoroughly possessed the previously mild mannered man and turned him into something of a demon king completely threw the poor manager in for a loop. Shigeo had never seen anyone navigate the bureaucratic nightmare that was hospitalization paperwork as swiftly and as efficiently as one Tsukasa Eishi had. He had everything prepared – personal identification, relevant documentations and certificates, past medical records, health insurance, _everything_ that might be needed on hand and ready. The forms were completed in _quadruplicate_ in next to no time and all the fine print read and comprehensively understood. The hospital administration had not been too keen to entertain the next of kin's questions at first until Eishi had courteously enquired if he should invite their attorneys down to assist on deciphering the contractual agreements, and that was when they quickly became more compliant and open to his meticulous queries thereafter.

Shigeo was in awe. He had never seen anyone look so unflappably, ruthlessly _calm_ _yet_ so unreasonably insistent on getting his way at the same time. Tsukasa-san had not once raised his voice even an octave above his usual pristine tenor, nor had he been abusive or disrespectful of the staff in any way or form, but it was in the relentless _intensity_ in his still, deliberate demeanor that made it abundantly clear that he would not back down until he got what he needed. He knew how to play this game exceptionally well. Yelling, losing his temper and throwing tantrums like a madman would get him nowhere with this lot. Parking himself in their domain and making it very obvious that he wouldn't go anywhere until they dealt with him was a surprisingly strategic tactic, mainly because when Tsukasa Eishi did not wish to be ignored, he could be extremely persuasive in making himself noticed and his concerns heard.

The manager had thought that he would have to be the one to deal with all these problematic issues, but it turned out that his charge's husband had everything in the bag. In fact, Tsukasa-san was so good and thorough at handling all these backend matters that the older man did not even have to lift a finger to interfere, which made him feel somewhat redundant but Tsukasa-san was also being so disturbingly exacting and proficient that he didn't quite dare to try to intercede, lest the man still very much in demon-king!mode turned his sights on him. The whole experience could be likened to poetry in motion, and was the most politely persistent form of bullying that Shigeo had ever witnessed, so skillfully and adeptly applied to this situation that he doubted the hospital staff were even aware that they had been expertly manipulated into complying with the man's many scrupulous demands when it came to the welfare of his spouse.

So scary. Tsukasa-san was so _scary_.

Shigeo had never thought that he would ever come to witness such a sight. Evidently, there really existed some men in this world who might seem rather mild mannered in personality, but would become thoroughly terrifying when the wellbeing of their loved ones were threatened. The manager privately thought that if Tsukasa-san ever tired of becoming a world-class chef, then he might very well make an incredibly powerful politician. …Then he thought about Rindou-san as a politician's wife and quickly decided it would be best not to open that can of worms anytime soon.

Thanks to Tsukasa-san's (demon-king!mode only) hidden-and-not-so-advertised ability at getting people to do things that they did not actually want to do, it didn't take long to have the rest of the procedures, x-rays and necessary bloodwork completed and Rindou-san settled in a private, single bed ward. The young woman was still completely out of it, though a harried doctor had just came by earlier to assure the concerned husband (and he had been _very_ concerned) that she would likely awaken soon. There was a plain bandage affixed to the top right hand corner of her forehead where she had been clipped by the falling camera as well as a very obvious goose egg sitting there, but otherwise, she didn't look too bad or battered by her ordeal. Thankfully, there had been no need for her to get any stitches, but Shigeo was going to have to roll back her planned TV appearances and filming dates for a bit until that injury was healed enough to be concealed by makeup. While he was busy with the rescheduling, Tsukasa-san just sat by his unconscious wife's bedside and held her hand, very quietly waiting for her to open her eyes.

Fortunately, just as the physician had predicted, the wait was not for very long. Her eyelids started to flutter, a grimace crossing her features, her fingers twitching in his grasp. A tiny hiss escaped her as her level of consciousness grew to greater lucidity, and the pain in her head promptly made themselves known in the most uncomfortable of ways. She squeezed her eyes shut, her free hand coming up from beneath the hospital-issued blanket to gingerly touch her aching crown. Her voice croaked a bit when she spoke, but there was no mistaking her quirky brand of humor anywhere.

"… _Aughh_. Did…anyone catch the license plate of the truck that ran me over?"

The relief in the room was palpable, when her eyes finally opened and she squinted blearily at the blurry face hovering over her.

"Rindou."

Shigeo watched rather nonplussed as that ferocious white tiger that had been protectively guarding his wounded mate for the last few hours or so turned back into a gentle, domesticated housecat once more.

… _Rindou-san,_ the manager could not help but think in silent awe, _is amazing._

Eishi rested his hand over his wife's beautiful red hair. He stroked the crimson strands, instinctively seeking the physical assurance of her vitality. She was okay. She would be okay. The vise that he had exerted over his feelings started to ease, and it was almost painful, the way the tension was slowly dissipating from his shoulders, draining from his previously impassive features.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. He did not like to see her like this. She had always been healthy as a horse, and so full of life. In fact, the only other time she had to stay in a hospital was to birth Hi'En. She looked fine to him now, if only a bit bruised. He wanted to bring her home as soon as possible and fuss over her in private, but perhaps it would be a good idea for her to stay a night for observation, just to make sure that she was really okay.

Her golden, cat slit eyes finally focused on him, and she stilled, just watching him as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. At last, she spoke again, frowning slightly.

" _Oww_ … My head hurts…and where am I?"

The men paused at her disoriented question.

"Rindou-san, you're in the hospital right now." Shigeo interjected then. "What do you last remember?"

Her eyes flickered from the visage of her husband to the familiar appearance of her manager.

"Hayashi," she identified him immediately. Her features scrunched a bit as she tried to dredge up her last recollection prior to waking up in this room. Her head throbbed in protest but she persisted, and something flitting floated to the surface of her murky memories. She grabbed onto it right away. "We were doing an interview at a restaurant… Then, _uh_ …something fell…on me. I think…"

Shigeo immediately nodded. She remembered! "Yes. Yes, that was what happened. There was an accident. The camera toppled and hit your head. It knocked you out. We rushed you to the hospital right away, and that's why you're here now."

Rindou slowly nodded. That made sense.

"I'll go and let the doctor know that you've regained consciousness," Shigeo uttered, backing out of the room and leaving her to be watched over by her spouse.

Rindou glanced at Eishi again, and the man did _not_ look like he had been having a good time the last few hours. Knowing him, he must have been out of his mind with worry…

"Hey. You sure look like a sight for sore eyes," she tried to joke. He still hadn't let go of her hand, was still gripping it very tightly, but now that they were alone, he slumped and looked very exhausted. Apparently, holding himself together for the last few hours had taken all the energy and mental focus he could muster, and he was all wiped out. He pitched forward and dropped his head onto her shoulder. She reached out with her free hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He shuddered at her comforting touch.

"You scared the hell out of me," he mumbled into her neck. " _Please_ don't do that again."

"Sorry," she replied, her slender digits absently combing through those white strands in a way that she knew would calm him. "But you know me. I'm pretty hardheaded. I'll be fine."

He swiveled his head a bit to meet her eyes with his own.

"…You should stay here until the doctor says that you can be discharged."

She started to shake her head, but then quickly stopped again with a faint grimace when the movement pulled at her cut.

"I wanna go home. And where's En-chan? You didn't leave him all alone, did you?" The thought of her young, infant son instantly made her become more alert. Hi'en had only celebrated his first birthday a few months back, and his mother thought that the sun rose and set on her adorable little monster.

Eishi _looked_ at her.

"… _Who_ do you think I am? I called the daycare and they agreed to look after En until this evening. I'll pick him up later, so don't worry about it…"

He looked really drained, and it made her feel bad, just a bit. Her blunt nails scraped lightly against his scalp. She tipped her head into his and just leaned against him for a while, as if silently recharging her energy level with the contact.

"I wanna go home," she repeated after a few beats of silence. "I wanna go home with you and En-chan."

He sighed at her insistent, mulish tone, but it wasn't as if he wanted to leave her here for any longer than he had to.

"Only if the doctor says that it's okay."

* * *

The resident neurologist had taken a look at her x-ray and MRI scans, and apparently she had a mild concussion to go with that cut and bump on her forehead. But it wasn't anything life threatening, and so the doctor in charge of her case gave her the choice to either stay for further observation or to be discharged. Rindou grabbed at the second option.

"Alright, Kobayashi-san. I'll give you a list of signs and symptoms to watch out for just in case your concussion worsens, so if you experience anything on there, please check yourself back in here right away. Also, please do not take any painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication for the next twenty four to forty eight hours. Get lots of rest, sleep as much as you feel like it because your body will need time to heal itself. Try not to work or overexert yourself in the meantime, and no strenuous physical activities. Last but not least, who's your attending obstetrician? You may want to arrange an appointment to make sure that the fetus is okay, just in case."

The two of them froze at the physician's blithe words.

"Excuse me?" Eishi was the first to react, even though he still looked rather stunned. "Can you repeat that…?"

The doctor glanced up from the medical chart, took one look at the expecting parents' gobsmacked expressions and immediately switched gears. "Oh. I assume that you haven't found out yet, then? Well. Congratulations, Kobayashi-san. It states here from your blood test that your hCG level is off the charts. It also means that you're approximately eleven to thirteen weeks along, now."

The good doctor rattled off some other information before he made himself scarce, promising that someone would be by later to hand them the discharge papers. Meanwhile, Rindou looked rather bemused by the unexpected news, whereas her partner was just plain shell-shocked. Today had been an endless roller coaster of emotions, and just when he had thought that the ride was over, he was hit by the grand finale.

" _Hm_. I wonder when we made this one," the redhead pondered aloud. "Maybe it was that time we went to Hakone..."

The timing seemed to coincide, and Rindou appeared faintly entertained by the thought. "This one's an onsen tamago, apparently~"

Eishi did not quite understand how it was that Rindou was able to receive the news so nonchalantly and calmly. She was actually looking quite cheerful, while he was still inwardly reeling from the realization that he was going to be a second-time parent soon.

"…You're pregnant."

She glanced at him curiously.

"Yes. I kinda was here too when the doctor made the announcement five minutes ago, Tsukasa," she reminded him, an amused lilt in her voice. "…And I was also very much present as well when you fertilized this egg, if you can remember."

"You're _pregnant_ ," he repeated, and she started to look at bit concerned at him. He didn't seem dismayed, just a bit dumbfounded. Come to think of it, he did not have a good track record when it came to gracefully receiving this sort of announcements, and it had been a _really_ long day for him…

"Do you want to sit down…?" she asked him. "I know that we're in a hospital so this is as good a place as any if you're going to pass out from shock, but I'm _really_ hoping you won't because I'm not allowed to drive us home tonight and I also don't think I can catch you right now if you faint on me."

He was starting to come out of it now, though mainly because she kept not-so-subtly prodding him about it. His eyelid twitched, just once. Slowly, he went over and sat beside her too.

"How are you being so calm about this?" She had been really serene the first time around, too, with Hi'En.

She cocked her head to the side, not really comprehending his question.

"Eh? I'm not calm, I'm quite stoked, actually." She probably would have been more expressive about receiving the news if not for the dull pounding going on in her head right now, which tempered her exuberance somewhat. "Another baby! I like babies, especially ours. You know, Hi-en's so effin' cute with his chubby cheeks and funny little old man faces he makes that kinda reminds me of you when you're stuck doing paperwork. And that sweet baby milk powder smell of his-!" she sighed happily at the thought of her precocious son, arms aching to cuddle the life out of the little redheaded boy.

Her gaze grew distant in thought, and a silly, giddy smile crept over her face. "I hope this one will look like you. I think I'd really want that." Her eyes were sparkling with growing excitement, and he really did not know how she did it. Everything was an adventure waiting to be had as far as she was concerned. He was more inclined to worrying about all the ramifications of having another child in the family, but she was already skipping ahead and focusing on all the fun parts of parenting.

Maybe that was why they _always_ balanced each other out.

 _Another child…_

It was a surprise for sure (understatement, that), but he wasn't against the idea of it, now that it was fast becoming a reality in the near future.

"You're really happy about this?" he asked. She reached over and took his hand in hers. "You weren't too pleased to be grounded the last time when you were carrying En."

She made a face at the reminder. He was right; she had not enjoyed the nesting part especially since she much rather preferred to be wandering around and not cooped up in one place with nothing to do. She had driven him up the wall too, with all the antics she had come up with to keep herself entertained and not bored out of her mind. Her lips twitched at the recollection.

"I still don't like being grounded for sure, but I think I can adjust to it for a little while." She side-eyed him. "…You wanna know why I'm so calm, Tsukasa?"

She squeezed his fingers.

"It's 'coz I've got you with me," she said it so simply and honestly that he didn't even know what to make of it. Then, her lips quirked and she lightly continued. "And I don't have anything to worry about because you're already doing _all_ the worrying for us, husband."

He gave her an unamused look, which made her snicker. Undaunted by his withering stare, she leaned into him and buried her face into the side of his neck, her voice a bit muffled as she continued to list more of her reasons, her lips lingering along his skin.

"And it's really fun making babies with you." _Kiss_. "And you're an awesomely amazing dad." _Kiss_. "And you take care of us so well." _Kiss_. "And you always make us the yummiest things too. Hands down the bestest cook in the family. Bestest husband _ever_." _Kiss. Kiss._ _ **Kiss**_ _._

His ears were turning a bit pink at her playful, but also earnest praises.

"…Stop." She was seducing him again with that sweet, eager warmth of hers and he was helpless to resist her. "I get it already…"

But she was happy to smother him in kisses and tease him some more, at least until he abruptly turned and caught her mouth with his own. His large, lean hands cupped her face, and his lips slanted over hers possessively, again and again and again as he hungrily kissed the living daylights out of her. She _trembled_ , her knees going weak against the onslaught of that quietly ferocious ardor.

Sometimes…whenever she forgot who she was dealing with, he never failed to remind her.

She was breathing a bit hard and looked a bit dazed when he slowly pulled away. "… _Whoa_. It might be the concussion talking but… _no_. You always make me so lightheaded," she mused after a pause, flushed and thoroughly kissed. His gaze darkened, tracing over that beloved face of hers.

"Rindou?"

Her gold slit eyes focused on his watchful lavender ones.

"Hmm?"

"…I'm happy too…you know that, right?"

She smiled beatifically at him, understanding what he was trying to tell her.

"Yeah. I know."

* * *

 **(random) Omake (that has nothing to do with the plot)**

"Oya, oya, Tsukasaan. I thought you'd have heard the rumors by now."

Eishi was quite visibly baffled, looking at Terunori as the latter lounged in his living room, sporting an amused smirk even as he sipped on the freshly brew hojicha that his host had prepared for him. Brown eyes glimmered with mirth over the rim of the gently steaming cup.

Before the white-haired man could open his mouth and respond, a third party entered the conversation.

"What rumors?"

At the sound of the husky, feminine drawl, the two men turned their heads towards the staircase landing. Terunori's eyes lit up.

"Ey, Rindou-senpai!" the younger man greeted with a grin as the beautiful redhead padded downstairs to join them, having just put her young son to bed. The golden eyed woman smirked faintly at her fellow ex-Elite Ten member.

"Yo, Kuga! I thought I heard your voice when I was upstairs. How are ya doin', brat? I saw your interview feature for OIISHI; lookin' pretty good, huh! For a chibi, that is~" Despite the faintly teasing tone, Rindou was obviously glad to see her kouhai.

"Awh, shaddap! Are you ever gonna stop raggin' on me for that?"

She flashed him a fanged grin, ruffling his hair as she went past, much to his protests. "Nope. _Never_ ~"

Rindou plopped down beside Eishi on the couch, at the same time setting a portable baby monitor on the coffee table, the volume dial turned up high enough that should there be any disturbance detected in the nursery upstairs, they would immediately hear of it. Eishi glanced askance at her.

"En's asleep?"

" _Mm_ , out like a light," the redhead affirmed, reaching over and snagging his mug of tea, casually stealing a quick drink before she continued. "I'unno which of our genes he got, but I'm just glad he sleeps through the night most of the time. Don't think a lot of babies are that easygoing."

Settling contently on her end of the settee, she brought up her legs and proceeded to rest them on Eishi's lap. She glanced cursorily at Terunori.

"So. Whatcha talkin' 'bout? What rumors?"

Suddenly, Kuga was not scowling as much and even seemed a bit more amused again…and Eishi just _sighed_. The latter gestured blithely to the smaller man.

"I'll leave you to it," he murmured, one large, lean hand resting on her calf with calm, casual affection, his warm palm cupping her smooth skin, obligingly giving her a leg rub that she had wordlessly asked for.

Terunori was not one to beat around the bush. "Apparently, your marriage with Tsukasaan's on the rocks."

"Hm? _Again_? Whyyyy am I always the last one to learn about this sort of things?" But instead of feeling dismayed, Rindou appeared more intrigued. Her eyes sparkled with good natured humor.

"What is it this time? Did Tsukasa have a secret torrid affair with a bunch of Matryoshka sisters when he trekked off into the Russian wilderness to hunt for the most authentic borscht recipe last year? _Orrrr_ …is it me? Did I accidentally seduce somebody again? I'm seriously starting to lose track of all these funny little accusations. Aren't they a bit one-sided?"

The ex-Eighth Seat scoffed. "Can't entirely blame 'em, Rindou-senpai. Remember that time ya smiled at some guy during a meet-and-greet session and the poor besotted schmuck became so distracted he promptly walked straight through a glass wall?"

Ohhh _that_.

Rindou remembered, alright. She snickered at the recollection. That had been a horrifically funny episode, though fortunately, the press conference had been held on the ground floor of a shopping mall, so nobody died. That poor chap still had to be sent off to the nearest A&E to get stitches, and at the end of the day, the infamy of Kobayashi Rindou, _Legendary_ _Maneater_ , grew to absurd proportions.

"I did send him a fruit basket and a 'get well soon' card after that entire fiasco; I wonder if he got it?" the redhead mused. "And that was an isolated incident, mind ya. See here; Tsukasa has never walked into any walls for me before."

The white haired male sitting beside her stirred, looking incredibly tranquil and unruffled. She thought that he probably was getting sleepy, judging by his serene demeanor. "…Perhaps not, but I've certainly jumped through numerous hoops at your behest."

That trip to Russia had been one such 'hoop.' She had been in her second trimester when she had developed a hankering for the savory Russian beet soup that could only be found in that region of the world, and hence he had dutifully gone off to procure _not_ the soup itself, _but_ the very recipe for how it was traditionally made. That had also been an entertaining affair, and Eishi had also been unusually bossy throughout the entire span of her pregnancy…

Rindou scooted over and planted a fat, appreciative smooch on his pale cheek, warm with a surge of affection towards this man.

"….That's why you're my favorite husband."

His languid lavender gaze slowly sharpened as he looked at her. Sometimes, he stared at her like he was trying to decipher something incredibly precious. "I'm your only husband, but I'll take that as a compliment."

"And here I thought that our marriage's on the rocks or somethin'~"

Kuga wrinkled his nose. Were these two _flirting_ in front of him? _Oh, for the love of-_

The ex-Eighth Seat quickly interjected himself back into the conversation before they could completely forget his presence and do something that would force him to scrub his eyes out in order to un-see. "People online are sayin' that Hi'en-chan looks like your secret love child with Yukihira-chin."

There was a long, _long_ pause.

Then, Rindou _snorted_.

And laughed outright.

" _Wait_. Wait. _What_? They actually think that En-chan's…" the redhead trailed off, bursting into another spurt of laughter. Her eyes were tearing from the hilarity of the whole thing. She looked to Tsukasa, lips upturned, eyes twinkling.

"Are you hearing this?"

"Yes." His reaction was rather mild for someone who was possibly being cuckolded by his own wife. She smirked at him.

"What say you about that, husband?"

"…If the tabloids are to be believed, then you and I should have been divorced several times over by now," he commented, exhaling in faint consternation. "I do wish that they'd at least have the decency to leave En out of all this nonsense, however."

Rindou was still guffawing. "It's 'coz of En-chan's coloring, isn't it? Our kid's also a redhead with golden eyes and somehow people immediately think that he looks like a mini-Yukihara. Hah! This is _gold_! Why haven't I thought of this before? Hey, d'ya think Yukihira's old man will fall for it if we pass En-chan off as his surprise illegitimate grandkid? Has Yukihira heard of this rumor already? Let's ring him up and freak him out for a bit!"

"…"

Eishi wordlessly turned to Kuga, and the expression on his face said just about everything. _See? Look at this monster that you've unleashed._

The younger man did not even have the grace to look ashamed. He snickered. Rindou-senpai had always been the more fun loving one out of the two, after all.

"So, d'ya wanna make the call, or should I do the honors?"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

So, the flavor of this week is fluff! Hope you guys have your fluff hats on! Ahaha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I really like the concept of demon-king!Eishi – I find the notion very amusing just picturing him in that scary (steely-eyed, razor sharp, passively _aggressive)_ mode – and I also don't think that it deviates too far from his canon character. No, I'm serious. Hear me out! I'm sure most of you already noticed how utterly serious and _intense_ he gets whenever he's cooking. This is obviously the type of guy who does _not_ mess around at all when it comes to defending the things that which he loves the most and is really passionate about. He will come right at you with everything that he has, and I feel that this instinct of his translates over to the people he loves as well, especially when the matter of their wellbeing is at stake.

Remember that he was also known as Teacher-Crusher Tsukasa way before he became the White Knight of the Table! There shouldn't be any doubt in the first place, but when it comes to being relentlessly persistent, this guy is definitely Number One, haha.

That said, demon-king!Eishi does not often makes an appearance; just when, you know, Eishi is very stressed out and suppresses his emotions to the brink of nothing so he retreats behind that persona in order to pull himself together and make sure things get done as quickly and as efficiently as he needs them to be, and boy do they ever.

Any one of you ever experienced those kind of people who can very politely bull their way through any sort of situations? Those kind of very scary, unstoppable people who makes the best allies but you also don't _ever_ want to get in their way because no matter what you do they'd just steamroll right over you in the most courteous, flawless manner possible? Yeah. That's demon-king!Eishi in a nutshell. He also comes in debate-team-captain!mode and paperwork-ninja!mode. I don't ever want to mess with someone like him IRL, seriously.

I probably will come back and revisit this headcanon in a future drabble because, once again, the potential for shenanigans is too much to resist, ahaha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Hayashi Shigeo is my OC. He is a side/minor character whom you will see making cameo appearances every now and then, and he serves as Peerless!Rindou's talent manager since she kind of is a television personality with the food and travel program/documentaries she hosts. He will not be playing any major role in the story and is just filling in a support role for this fic.

Please be kind to Hayashi-san. He is an honest, hardworking, middle-aged family man who is also a bit traumatized by Eishi right now. The Tsukasa husband-and-wife team is kind of strange, according to him.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 **FACTOID #01)** Hakone, in Japan's Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park west of Tokyo, is a mountainous town known for its hot springs resorts (onsen) and views of the iconic volcano Mount Fuji.

 **FACTOID #02)** Onsen tamago is a traditional Japanese low temperature egg which is originally slow cooked in the water of onsen hot springs in Japan.

 **#01+#02 =** …I will leave it to you to imagine how Chouko was conceived, lol.

 _Side note:_ I originally wanted to name Chouko, Tamako (meaning 'precious child') instead, but I think some of you might be so done with my eggcessive punning you will just go full hardboiled and rage quit this series altogether, ahaha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 26 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least, with regards to my update schedule for Peerless:

I don't really have any fixed days to update this series currently, but I'm trying to maintain an average posting frequency of twice a week. Usually (guestimate only), my most likely days of uploads coincide with the manga updates of Shokugeki no Souma (so **Wednesdays/Thursdays** ) as well as late weekends ( **Sundays/Mondays** ). I'm also not prewriting chapters for Peerless at the moment, so I'm just uploading as I putter along. Usually it takes me 2-3 days to conceptualize a prompt/plot idea + write + edit, and then there are also some days where work is seriously kicking my ass and I have presentation slides dripping out of my ears and consecutive meetings to attend, so I may not always be able to fulfill this schedule as much as I would like to. But I will try my best, because apparently I've sold my soul to this ship and it won't let go of me anymore until I've turned into a dried, withered husk, lol.

I will try to preempt you guys if this schedule should change for whatever reason!

To the dear, fellow EiRin fans who are checking for updates daily, I hope this information helps somewhat. Thank you all SO MUCH for enjoying this series and going along with me for all these shippy shenanigans and you lot (and your funny/encouraging/lovely comments) just made this whole journey so much more fun and interactive for me, haha. The fanbase for this ship is small, but it's one of the warmest and friendliest I've ever known, so I'm really grateful to all of you for that.

Thanks for your continuous support! :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4525

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 17/06/17

* * *

 **Catch me if you can**

* * *

Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the action in the face of fear.

\- Mark Messier

* * *

"Remind me _why_ I'm doing this again?" Rindou asked with a pronounced frown on her face as she surveyed her reflection in the bedroom mirror.

The twenty-four year old was dressed really nicely in a laced sleeved, navy blue dress with a v-neck front and a cinched, empire waistline, the flowing skirt falling elegantly to her bare knees, the satin material draping gently over that slight bump of her protruding stomach, showing off her status as an expectant mother. It was getting almost impossible to hide this bun in the oven now that she was almost five months along - a couple of weeks back she could still pull off that blissfully well fed look, but now it was obvious that she was just plain preggo no matter what outfit she chose to wear. Rindou was still undecided whether if she actually enjoyed the attention that her belly was getting these days. It seemed that people said hello to her middle more than they did to her lately, and she was going to have another four plus months of random strangers spontaneously turning into cooing idiots to look forward to…

The man responsible for her current condition looked up from where he was standing before the wardrobe. For someone who did not enjoy wearing ties, he had a massive collection of them, mostly in due to his exasperating partner who seemed to find it extremely funny to get one for him every time she so much as travelled for work. Since her work brought her everywhere, that translated to _a lot_ of ties. Many were eye searingly colorful and flashy and some even had prints like polka dots and dancing sushi and cartoon mascots that he would not be caught _dead_ buying…so _of course_ she did. At last, Eishi instinctively picked a plain one ( _boring_ , was what she would call it) that most closely matched Rindou's dress color, pulling the silk piece free from its hanger and looping it around his neck, over the flipped up shirt collar. Like her, he was also dressed rather formally; crisply pressed white dress shirt and charcoal slacks that accentuates his wiry, whipcord lean appearance. His dinner jacket was already laid out on the bed, ready to be worn.

"Because my parents want to meet the mother of their unborn grandchild. Stop sulking," he muttered, walking up to her side to share the mirror so that he could see how he was doing. It was almost funny how hassled and stressed out he looked over something so simple as a dinner meeting, and he wasn't even responsible for hosting the appointment in the first place. Just to further aggravate him, she puffed out her cheeks and poked out her lower lip a hair more, mainly because she, too, wasn't exactly very thrilled about the impending encounter. She clipped on her ear studs and briskly dabbed a bit of perfume on the insides of her wrists and the back of her neck, the only accessories that she would wear on her person this evening. She had never been too much of a trinket person in the first place.

"Oh, please. Your parents hate me," she replied as she turned to him, slapping his hands away and stepping up to fix his tie for him. He wouldn't dare leave it flapping loosely over his shoulder the way he often did back during their Tootsuki days. Not this time. Not when his father would be present. Everything had to look meticulously perfect or Eishi would be bothered and fidgeting the entire night. "According to them, I'm that two-bit, no-name piece of skirt who seduced their perfect son and led him down the path of sin and depravity. I'm surprised that they didn't have a collective aneurysm right there and then when they found out that I'm carrying our baby."

Like what she had always done over the years, she created a graceful Windsor knot out of the tie and adjusted the loop, finally tugging at the inner tongue and sliding the intricate design perfectly in place against the base of his throat. She tucked his collar back down, smoothed everything in place, and took a step back.

"Rindou…" he sighed, just looking at her. She was beautiful, her crimson hair streaming down her back in loose artful waves, the catlike tilt of her glowing eyes and dense lashes further emphasized by the subtle application of smoky eyeliner and mascara, full pouting lips tinted with transparent lip gloss. "They don't hate you. They just…don't understand you." In their defense, Eishi didn't completely understand Rindou either, and he had known her for over half of his life.

She arched a brow at him. "They don't understand what you see in me, of all people, you mean."

His lavender gaze lingered on her.

"They don't have to. I know what I see in you," he quietly replied.

"…Please do this for me. I know that you are going to detest every minute of it, but _please_."

She glowered, not liking that he was giving her that _look_ again.

"I hate it more when you guilt trip me," she muttered, turning away to grab her purse. "Let's just get this over and done with."

He picked up his jacket and put it on, buttoning up absently as he followed her out of the bedroom. He also switched off the lights and other appliances along the way.

"You know, your parents wouldn't even have to find out about the pregnancy in the first place if you didn't make me move in with you," she pointed out as they headed towards the entryway.

He huffed. She was still complaining about their new living arrangement a few weeks later, though at this point she was probably just dragging it out to rile him.

"They were going to know sooner or later – I _can't_ keep it from them forever. And you're a celebrity; there's no such thing as keeping a secret. You can thank your busybody paparazzi buddies for printing out that headline, by the way." He also hadn't been willing to tolerate all that rampant speculation buzzing around her and pairing her up willy nilly with various other male celebrities whom the tabloids believed could have possibly fathered her child. They couldn't be anymore _wrong_. The paternity of the baby nestled in her belly was his and he wouldn't give it up for anything.

Which brought him to his second point, since they were on this topic.

"You know, this whole situation would go over a lot smoother if you'll just agree to marry m-"

She came to a sudden stop then, looking down at herself.

"Ah, I'm spilling out of this dress. Hang on, lemme fix this before we leave."

He stopped as well.

"…What?"

"My boobs are falling out." She stuck one hand into her plunging neckline and readjusted herself not-too-shyly right there and then. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before, anyway. He still watched, of course. As her pregnancy progressed, her breasts swelled as well. She was also more tender and sensitive to his stimuli, as he had quickly found out in the bedroom…

"Your boobs look fine," he muttered. They looked more than fine, actually, but he kept the thought to himself since it wasn't as if he could do anything about that observation right now. He eyed her warily and wondered if she had just done that on purpose. "Stop trying to distract me."

"I'm not! Do you want me to flash your parents by accident later? Because that's going to make an interesting dinner conversation topic, I'm sure."

"…Maybe you should bring a shawl." He suddenly remembered what happened the last time they went out and she had looked like that. He had spent half the date glaring icily at men ogling her chest. _It really was a problem when the other half was so ridiculously attractive…_ He didn't doubt her fidelity, but sometimes she made him feel so possessive of her, like she was something precious he wanted to keep only for himself.

"What? Why? It's still summer!"

"You're going to get cold at the restaurant later," he warned her calmly. He knew her too well.

"Crud, you're right. 'Kay, I need a shawl." She started to turn to go back towards the bedroom but he stopped her.

"No, just wait here. I'll go get it for you."

He returned to find her looking a bit frustrated as she was trying to figure out how to close the straps of her kitten heels without having to bend down. He took one glance at her predicament and wordlessly handed her the shawl. Then, he went down on one knee to help her wear her shoes. She looked down at his bent head in visible bemusement.

"You sure are pretty handy to have around," she remarked as he secured the intricate fastenings around her slender ankles.

"Maybe you should start getting comfortable footwear that are easier to put on and take off instead," he told her as he straightened once the task was completed. It took him a considerably lesser amount of effort to don his own socks and shoes.

She sent him an innocuous look. "…Why would I do that when I have _you_ to help me put them on and take them off?" He had been spoiling her thoroughly and she wondered if he was aiming for some boyfriend of the year award that she wasn't privy to.

"…" He just stretched out his hand towards her for her to take, and she accepted it naturally. Their fingers tangled together, palms finding each other, and he led her out the door.

"Hey, do you think that your parents still remember and resent me for trying to eat those prized carps of theirs that very first time I visited your home all those years back? How was I supposed to know that the pond was not for fishing in?"

"…I don't know if they remember, but please try _not_ to bring that up later."

* * *

The restaurant that they were going to for dinner was one of the finest in Tokyo, with three Michelin stars to show for the amazing quality and standard of the meals that the establishment was widely famous for. It specialized in traditional Kaiseki cuisine and when the young couple arrived at the discreetly elegant ryotei for their reservation, they were politely greeted and then led by the okami-san towards a private room…where Eishi's parents were already seated and waiting for them.

The low table was occupied on one side by the two elders, which left the other side for Eishi and Rindou.

Eishi's father was as impassive and stoic as always. Dressed austerely in a black three piece suit, the lean, aquiline featured and sharp-eyed man was as unreadable as whenever he was presiding over a session in the Supreme Court. Beside her, Rindou could feel Eishi start to tense, straightening automatically beneath his father's silently heavy regard. Seated tranquilly next to the older man was Eishi's mother, and even now, the woman still remained the most ethereally beautiful being whom Rindou had ever met. Eishi had taken after his delicate-looking mother in both her coloring and her elegant features. The first time Rindou saw his mother some ten years ago, she had thought that the latter was a real life _Yuki-onna_ – there was a distant, icy beauty that she possessed, effortlessly keeping people in thrall of her pristine perfection, yet also keeping them away at the same time.

The Tsukasa family had always been small but prominent. They had an affinity with law and legality, and had produced generations of the finest lawyers and judges in service to Japan. Eishi had been the only child of the current patriarch of the family, and had been expected to carry on the proud family tradition dedicated to the judicial system of their country…but he had chosen to become a chef instead. To say that his parents had been disappointed would be an understatement, but no matter what they did, they failed to convince him otherwise. Eishi had known what he wanted to do since the age of _eight_ – there was simply no shaking that conviction however hard they tried.

Becoming a mere _chef_ when he had every potential to be the next future Chief of Justice instead was a hard pill for his parents to swallow, no matter if he was amongst the best and the brightest in his field. It was almost like a slap to the face, and his parents always seemed to view it like a personal insult to them…which really had not helped with their son's anxiety and pessimism growing up. Now was no different, and even though he was long since independent of them, there always would exist an instinctual part of him that was still seeking for their approval and understanding. Knowing that he would have better luck convincing the sky to turn green and the grass blue only made his stress grow even more.

And then there was Rindou.

The younger couple bowed before their elders as manners dictated to show their respect.

"Otou-san, Okaa-san," Eishi greeted quietly.

"Tsukasa-san," Rindou reflected as well, addressing Eishi's parents as one unit, keeping her expression impassive. She really _hated_ this heaviness and formality.

Tsukasa Seigi stirred, and Rindou promptly found herself being subjected to a dark, penetrating stare from the older man, as if her thoughts had been heard. Instead of flinching and looking away, she held his stare. At last, the dark haired man spoke, his deep baritone resounding richly across the private room.

"You may be seated."

The two younger adults nodded in acknowledgement of the elder's grace, and settled onto their zabuton cushions. Eishi helped Rindou down before he took his place beside her. She was starting to get a bit too ungainly to be sitting on floors…

Beside her intimidating husband, Suzuran eyed her female counterpart with faint, undisguised curiosity. Her lavender gaze lingered on the young woman's swelling belly especially, but she kept her thoughts to herself. And then the Tsukasa patriarch spoke once more, and he did not beat around the bush.

"Kobayashi-san, how many weeks along are you now?"

"I'm about nineteen weeks along, Tsukasa-san."

"I see. And is everything alright with the prenatal checks?"

Rindou nodded her head. "Yep. My obstetrician says that I'm healthy."

"What about the gender of the child? Have you found out?"

It was like déjà vu again. Maybe it was the man's occupation, but it always felt that the Justice was well, always judging and interrogating her whenever they spoke. She glanced askance at Eishi. The man was no help whatsoever, and he served her tea instead. Very useful, he was.

"…No. We haven't found out yet."

Eishi's mother finally interjected, and her voice was clear and melodious.

"Are you taking good care of yourself, Rindou-san?"

Rindou nodded.

"Yes. I've been doing the same things I usually do…but Tsukasa- Eishi, I mean – has been taking good care of us."

Seigi objected to her commentary.

"You two are not even married. I cannot believe that Eishi has been taking care of you at all if he's being so slipshod with your reputation and good name."

 _Oh, here it comes._

Her lover flinched quietly at his father's blunt response. His features remained perfectly schooled though, but she could tell that he was starting to get upset by the accusation…which began to rile her as well.

"My reputation and my good name are my own responsibility, Tsukasa-san," she replied firmly. "Eishi has been taking good care of us in all the ways that matter."

But the man was persistent.

"Are you even intending to get married at all? This child should not be born out of wedlock just because its parents are playing fast and loose with each other."

Beside her, Eishi started to stiffen. Rindou's gold slit eyes flashed, though before she could say anything else, he grabbed her hand under the table. He held her so tightly, _warningly_ , that she was able to stop herself from lashing out. She bit her tongue though.

"…Otou-san," he spoke on her behalf, and his calm, languid tone belied the way he was gripping her hand out of his parents' sight. "We'll marry when we're ready."

Judge Tsukasa was openly skeptical.

"In that case, you shouldn't have gotten your _friend_ pregnant." His tone was crisp and faintly scathing now. "Eishi, I thought that we raised you better than to let yourself be led around the nose like this. This entire farce would never have happened if you didn't insist on attending that silly culinary school to learn how to _cook_ , of all things. Look at this utter mess that you're making out of your life. You're destined to achieve great things but you're throwing them all away, and for _what_? You disappoint me."

Rindou dug her nails into his hand, not understanding why he was just silently taking this, sitting there in seiza with his spine ramrod straight and his face as blank and expressionless as a doll's. Her chest _ached_ for him. She had come prepared with the expectation that his parents would come down hard on her, _not_ him. She could not take it anymore.

"Stop." The redhead's voice was akin to the sharp crack of a whip in the ensuing silence, her gaze turning steely as she met the impassive gaze of the judge. "Please, _stop_. I do not understand at all, Tsukasa-san. How you can just sit there and talk of your own son like this. With all due respect, you may be an important figure in the courtroom, but to me, you're also a lousy father. Then again, maybe we should thank you instead, for showing Eishi what _not_ to do when our precious child is born so that he won't _suck_ like you!"

The way the man was looking at her in response to her cutting words was supposed to give her chills, but she plowed forward recklessly all the same, temper too far gone to care about tact and delicacy. "I won't sit here and listen to you talk badly of the man I love. He deserves better. I appreciate your invitation to share your concern with us, but we're not staying to hear the rest of it."

She drank the tea, though. It was only _polite_ to do so. She took the cup and guzzled its contents down determinedly before she slammed it onto the table loud enough to snap the white-haired man beside her out of his stupor. Then, she reached over and drank Eishi's share too, since he still seemed too stunned to do anything.

"Thanks for the tea. Eishi and I are leaving now."

Her exit could have been more dramatic, but she was a pregnant woman trying to climb onto her feet with grace and dignity and she considered the whole thing a job well done since she hadn't pitched right unto her face on the way up. She also wasted no time hauling Eishi up with her, and she started to turn before she swiveled sharply back and remembered to bow stiffly towards his parents. He did the same automatically too, and her hand clutched his tightly the entire while, so much so that her knuckles were _white_.

"Please excuse us."

She did not look back as she sailed angrily out of the room, and then stomped down the wooden hallway, and marched right out the garden.

"Rindou."

Tsukasa was finally saying something, and he also tugged at her, trying to halt her forward rampage. She was finally forced to stop when he refused to move a single step more, and she _whipped_ around to glower at him, her fiery hair flying tempestuously around her shoulders, her golden eyes _burning_ with pique.

" _Why_ didn't you say a thing just now?" she demanded immediately, poking him in the chest with one sharp, slender finger. " _Why_ did you just keep quiet and let your father talk down to you like that, Tsukasa? Don't tell me that you actually think that he's right; because he's _not_! You're not like that – he's wrong to think of you like that- he shouldn't act like you're worthless or- or a d-disappointment-"

She was trembling visibly in her anger and frustrated emotional state, seemingly to have momentarily lost that previously magnificent ability to articulate with such sharp, furiously biting iciness, at least until he reeled her in and pulled her into his arms. Her hands clutched the front of his jacket even as he engulfed her in his embrace, holding her so tightly that he was squeezing all the air right out of her, even as he buried his face into her hair and shakily, desperately, _breathed_ her in.

She could feel the tension thrumming through him, the way he was strung so utterly _taut_ it felt like any more and he would break. He held her for the longest time, in that quiet, still garden.

Her hand came up and she combed her fingers through his hair.

"You're _not_ a disappointment," she mumbled fiercely into the side of his neck. "You're _not_."

* * *

"Marry me."

He asked her quietly a couple hours or so later, as they were sitting in one of her favorite izakaya and she was happily inhaling the comfort food that surrounded her. Adorned in formal wear, they stuck out like a pair of overly dressed sore thumbs compared to the other more casually attired patrons in the bar setting, but neither seemed to care.

Rindou was hungrily devouring the plate of tori karaage set in front of her, and was also looking at the platter of sizzling gyoza with undisguised interest. His question gave her momentary pause, and she glanced at him. He looked so determinedly earnest, too, in that intense, focused way that he usually only got when he was cooking.

As such, her response was swift and certain.

"No."

"...What do you mean, ' _no_?'" He sounded dumbfounded by her refusal. Even though this wasn't exactly the first time he had asked…and she had turned him down then, too.

She looked at him and shrugged. _Shrugged!_

"What do you mean, 'what do I mean, ' _no_?'' ' _No'_ means 'I don't feel like saying yes today, so ask me again some other time~'"

She was so flippant about the whole thing he just stared at her. There were a lot of times when he didn't understand her at all, and this was one of those many times.

"…You stood in front of my parents and declared that you love me."

He hadn't heard wrongly, _right_? That moment had been so extremely stressful for him that it had almost turned him catatonic- his father's stern, oppressive presence had always had that effect on him- no matter what he said or did, it would be pointless- because the older man would _never_ listen.

But even then he didn't think he had ever seen anyone talk back to Tsukasa Seigi the way Rindou had so boldly and angrily. He didn't think he would ever forget how magnificent she was when she had risen so fiercely and ferociously to his defense. He didn't think he would ever forget this moment when _she had made him fall for her, all over again._ He had been so surprised by her passionate pronouncement that it had snapped him out of his inertia.

It was the first time he had actually heard her say those words, in all of their years together.

She was licking her sauce-coated fingers like a cat and being really distracting at the moment. She flicked him a glance beneath those thick lashes of hers.

"…I was more sitting down actually, and I didn't _exactly_ declare any such thing!"

…He could not believe that they were arguing over the technicalities of whether she had actually said the words or not, implied or otherwise. He continued to stare at her, silently exasperated. She was like a sphinx; enigmatic, bewildering and always making him _work_ to figure her out. Maybe his father was right. Maybe he let her lead him around by the nose too easily.

"…Do you mean it, at least?"

 _A-ha._ He was starting to ask the right questions. Smart guy. He was learning.

She watched him, her eyes glimmering with what looked like faint amusement. Now that she was being properly fed, her previously dragon-like fury was abetting, and she was returning to her usual playful, happy go lucky self. _Hm_! This could be fun! She could answer his question with a question of her own!

He always made it too easy for her to run circles around him…but then again, this gentleness of his was also one of the many things that she _loved_ the most about this man called Tsukasa Eishi.

 _What do you think?_

 _Have I ever said things that I don't mean?_

 _Do you trust me enough to put your blind faith in me?_

 _Will you love me enough to put up with me for the rest of your life?_

…She already knew what all those replies would be, and so here and now, she would not tease when he needed to hear her truth.

"Yes."

His pale lavender gaze lingered on hers for the longest time, just staring, watching, silently memorizing that content look on her beautiful face, that tranquility and calm, happy _sureness_.

"…But you won't say it."

She wanted to laugh, all of a sudden. There was a light, joyful effervescence bubbling in her chest, like she had drank too much champagne and was being drunk-silly…which was strange because she hadn't had even a sip of alcohol for months! And it was also strange in light of that sobering event with his parents that had just gone down earlier that evening.

But she did not mind being his distraction. She did not mind it at all.

" _Nope_ ~"

He groaned. And rubbed his temple. Why was she always so _difficult_. She wouldn't say it and she wouldn't marry him.

 _..._ But she would gladly have his child, and she would defend him with all the ferocity of a dragoness protecting her mate when need be.

 _Would he be so taken by her if she wasn't like this?_

He dragged his hand down his face and glowered at her, his lavender eyes glinting with a quiet, dogged ire and stubbornness. He was already committed to this grim _understanding_ that she was going to turn him into a crazy man with the way she _always_ played him.

"I'm not giving up," he told her, as much a blatant declaration of intent as any.

 _I'm not letting go._

She decided that she liked that fired up, persistent look on his face. It was far better than that emotionless automaton that his father had wanted to mold him into.

She popped the rest of the gyoza that she had been nibbling into her mouth, her cat slit eyes twinkling with mirth and affection.

"Alright."

* * *

 _ **Catch me.**_

 _I'll be docile only for you, but you have to catch me first, okay?_

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Okay, so this week seems to be quite a good week for me writing-wise. This chapter came out really easily, so I was able to push out the whole chunk within the last couple of days (geeze I sound seriously constipated ahaha). Let's see if I can squeeze out another update this weekend. Maybe I will be able to put up another chapter for Dragon Heart as well even though I also already updated that one a few days ago, we'll see!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 **New headcanon:** Eishi has a huge collection of ties, mainly because Rindou finds it hilarious to get one for him every time she goes traveling. He keeps them all long sufferingly at first, but then becomes less so after they figured out that these accessories can make things really _fun_ in the bedroom too…

… _Why_. Why is my brain always like this.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Tsukasa Seigi and Tsukasa Suzuran are my OCs.

Seigi's name (正義) literally translates to 'justice.' He is a member of Japan's Ministry of Justice, and is an illustrious judge serving Japan's Supreme Court. His character is _well_ \- he is very strict and honorable/traditional, and he has extremely high expectations when it comes to his son.

Suzuran's name (百合) is derived from the Japanese name for the 'Lily of the Valley' flower. Eishi's mother is very, _very_ beautiful, and looks very much like a Yuki-onna. (Image search Yuki-onna and you will see!) I chose the name Suzuran because the Lily of the Valley is a plant that is very resilient and is known to thrive even during the harsh winter. I also wanted to keep to the floral theme because you know, Rindou's name was also derived from a flower...

The Tsukasa!papa and mama loves their son, in their own way. They do really want the best for him, but the big problem is that they don't _understand_ their child's passion for what he does. There is a very distinct disconnect between parents and son, and the parents' distant, rigid personalities combined with the son's own anxious, at times seemingly absentminded temperament makes it difficult for the two sides to see eye to eye.

It's like a pair of Harpy Eagles trying to teach their chick how to become a successful bird of prey only to find out that their oddball chick has decided that he'd rather become a _duck_ instead. And then this Harpy Eaglet-turned-champion-swimming-duck has suddenly announced that he's brooding an egg with a fiery bird of paradise. Papa!Eagle and Mama!Eagle are very confused and not happy, ahaha. (Eagle, eagle, legal eagles, geddit? XD)

Seigi kind of dominated this encounter since he's so forceful and domineering in personality, but who knows? Maybe I will have another opportunity to write a scene where Suzuran will have a better positioning.

This is the demon-king!Tsukasa!bloodline, lol. All that ability for dealing with bureaucracy and paperwork that Eishi has are inherited traits, who knew? XD

Still not decided whether if I will write Rindou's parents; only know that these two sets of parents should probably maybe never ever _ever_ meet, hahah.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

So about the 'marry me' thing, expect that Eishi's gonna have a lot of NGs before Rindou will consider it game, set and match. For those who are wondering about his spontaneous proposal, this wasn't the first one by the way. She still shot him down no matter how well planned/thought out it was. Some of you may have already figured it out, but there's a method to Rindou's madness, trust me!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

This installment actually happens a few weeks before chapter five's ' **If you persevere, you'll have stew,** ' for those who are interested in keeping track of the timeline/continuity for this series.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Okay, about last chapter's omake, I was pleasantly surprised to read that it was quite well received. As I already shared with one amused reader, this extra bit was actually supposed to be for a chapter, but I discarded the idea in the end. I headcanon-ed that Rindou and Kuga had such a hoot teasing Souma about the secret love child thing that for one period of time Rindou managed to convince toddler!Hi'en that he has two dads, haha.

 **Hi'en:** Tou-chan! *points at Eishi*

 **Rindou:** *beaming* Yes, Tou-chan!

 **Hi'en:** *cocks head* ...Touuu-chaann? *points at Souma*

 **Rindou:** *trying not to laugh* Yes, Tou-chan!

 **Souma:** NO, Tou-chan!

 **Eishi:** ...

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

As always! Thanks for reading and sharing all your wonderfully thoughtful and funny comments. I smile so hard when I read them all, so thank you for that! Happy TGIF, y'all!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3990

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 19/06/17

* * *

 **Homecoming**

* * *

When they ask you what your favorite moment is, you will say her. You will always say her.

\- Caitlyn Siehl

* * *

 **Location: Rio, Brazil  
T minus forty-eight hours**

He was getting in the cab when his phone vibrated. The driver had just helped to load his luggage in the trunk. Most of the bulkier items had already been packed up and freighted off a week ago, headed for Japan. The rest would soon follow a few days later.

After over three years of wandering, he was finally ready to return home.

Settling into the worn backseat, he pulled his phone from his pocket and read the received message.

 **[text]** Are you on your way to the airport?

 _ **[text]**_ Yes.

 **[text]** Cool. I'll see ya in a day or so. Safe flight~

And that was all Rindou had to say. She had never been too much of a superfluous person in the first place, and while she was always random and whimsical, she didn't do things unless she specifically wanted to. As such, those short couple of sentences were enough to tell him all the things that she _weren't_ saying.

 _Come home quick. I'm waiting. I really wanna see you soon._

Eishi quietly slipped the phone back into his pocket and idly watched the scenery pass by the window, as the vehicle slowly navigated through the late morning downtown traffic, filtering towards the highway that would bring him to the airport.

He was currently in Rio, Brazil, having spent the last six months assimilating the local cuisine, which had an interesting mix of European, Amerindian and African influences. There were subtle similarities to French cooking that could be found in this vibrant, exotic part of the world, so far and different from back home and even in France, where he had worked for a good year and a half at. Everything from the language to the people to the culture were so loud and rich and colorful, and the food was no different.

Eishi thought that Rindou would surely enjoy the South Americas; she had certainly wanted to come to visit the first month or so when he had just settled into his new residence…but in light of what happened _that_ last time she looked him up in Paris, he had said _no_. They had reached an understanding that time – she would wait for him for a year – and he had reminded her of that agreement when she had sulked over the phone…

* * *

 **Location: Rio, Brazil  
T minus three-thousand-eight-hundred-and-twenty hours**

" _Eh_? I said that I'd wait, but it doesn't mean that I can't come and find you!"

Her offer was tempting. He had missed her, missed home. Her offer was _extremely_ tempting. "…Don't come," he had told her, as firmly as he could. "You're too distracting."

She had fussed some more but he was unmoved. She wasn't entirely surprised.

"You drive such a hard bargain," she grumbled. "I can't go to you and I can't see you. You don't even allow photos and video calls. It's like we're regressing back to old times where people just write long ass letters to each other and then stand at windows to wait for months for a reply! _Months_ , Tsukasa! I'm turnin' grey here!"

She was exaggerating, but it was a nice feeling to know that she had missed him too.

"…We exchange emails and phone calls frequently," he reminded her, faintly amused by her pronounced pouting. "I don't take months to respond to you."

He didn't even take an entire day to get back to her whenever she sent him a mail, though mainly because her mails were usually quite entertaining to read, especially after a long day at work. No matter how tired he was, he always felt compelled to write back, to reach out to her. She also always timed her mails to arrive during those hours of the evening where he was already winding down so he knew better to think that her careful consideration was simply mere coincidence. Beyond the fact that they were now slowly venturing into a deeper, more intimate relationship…she had always been, first and foremost, his best friend. The level of blithe, easy comfort she gave him, even if remotely and from thousands of miles away, was immeasurable and something he would always greatly treasure.

He wouldn't quite know what to expect each time his phone alerted him to an incoming correspondence from her. Sometimes she asked him the strangest questions, other times she was ranting about some restaurant she was doing a write up on and how good…or bad the food was. Then there were moments of hilarity/bemusement where she found herself in all sorts of strange situations as she bumbled through the food critique and entertainment scene, though sometimes those concerned him as well. She, for her bossy and feisty nature, could be unexpectedly innocent at times. So he silently worried. In return, while he wasn't anywhere near as engaging or as observant of his surroundings and the people around him as she did, he tried to tell her what he was doing as well. The places that he had been to which he thought she would like. The things that he experienced and especially the different kinds of food and cooking that he was exposed to, he tried to describe them all in great, enthusiastic detail because he _knew_ she would listen to him even when others would have been bored to tears hearing him put out comprehensive paragraphs of the various culinary techniques and cuisines which he had encountered.

Her response? Most times she always lamented that she wanted very much to taste his cooking again, and he would always reply that he would make them for her when he got back. Then she'd make him tell her more…which he was only too happy to do so. He was hardly the most effusive and eloquent being, but with her, he never had any problems freely expressing his thoughts and ideas.

"At this rate, by the time you come back, I'd have completely forgotten all about you," she mumbled grouchily, still petulant. There was the crinkling sound of something unwrapping over the line _– of course_ she was eating something at her end again.

"If I'm that unremarkable to you, then you wouldn't still be here talking to me, Rindou." He seemed quietly confident of his claim to her affection. She was all bluster right now, he knew. It was kind of _cute_ , the way she sulked at him.

"I almost cannot remember your smell anymore!"

He didn't quite know how to reply to that. It seemed a bit strange…but then he thought of that faint fragrance of her crimson hair, the subtle enticing aroma that seemed to exude from her soft, warm body that morning in Paris when he had woken up with her curled in his arms, that which had made him want to wrap himself around her, burrow his face into her neck and just hold onto her and go back to sleep…and he _understood_.

…Sending her to the airport and putting her on that plane bound back for Japan that day had been a downright miserable affair, which was why he didn't want to repeat the experience again anytime soon. Hence he was so adamant that she _not_ visit him anymore. Shakespeare once said; parting was such sweet sorrow. Eishi still did not understand what the poet playwright was talking about. There had been nothing sweet about parting, _at all_. This sharp yearning that they had for each other, there was no way to get rid of it and there was no way to make this ache ebb. The only thing he could do was to keep it tightly reined and controlled for now. The only solution was to keep away from her, even though that meant they would both suffer from it. The logical option would be to limit their interactions with each other, but that was easier said than done.

He could not help being drawn to her any more than she felt compelled to seek him.

"I remember _your_ smell very well," he softly countered her unhappy complaint, his voice mellow, and just a bit husky through the phone. "…I remember the way your skin heats up, how you'd start to flush a little, and then you'd give out this mesmerizing scent that's so softly, faintly _sweet_."

That shut her up for a while, as if she hadn't expected for him to give up that admission as well as the sheer intimacy that his words had aroused. It made her shiver, the lilt of his mellifluous whisper easily bringing up memories that she had tried to suppress, her body automatically reacting to him, even when he was continents and oceans away, right now. That tide of longing _surged_ , almost unbearable in its biting intensity.

 _But_ …if she closed her eyes and just _focused_ on his beloved, beautiful voice, she could almost _imagine_ that he was right here beside her, caressing her with his words...

When she spoke again through the phone, her voice was quieter, _captivated_. Like a hissing serpent entranced by the dulcet song of a charmer. He was effortlessly taming her, as always.

"…Tell me _more_."

* * *

 **Location: Tokyo, Japan  
T minus forty-four minutes**

The flight from Rio to Tokyo took almost two days, complete with long layovers in various other cities waiting for connecting flights and putting up with horribly prepared meals and subpar resting arrangements. He was completely exhausted and jetlagged, but even so, touching down finally on the land of his birth sent a fierce, powerful jolt of elation thrumming through him, a euphoric happiness that roused him quicker and more effectively than any amount of caffeine could. It had been more than three years since he was back here. Nothing could be compared to this feeling of _home_ and _belonging_.

This land contained everything precious to him, that he held very dear and very close to his heart. His identity. His dreams. His future.

The woman he loved.

He was greeted to the sight of her face almost immediately the moment he stepped off the plane and into the terminal. Her face, and entire self actually…was plastered across bright, colorful flat screen displays and huge interactive billboards in the welcome lounge and pretty much everywhere in the terminal, cheerfully and gaily greeting all inbound visitors to their country.

 _Welcome to Tokyo, where old meets new,_ the achingly familiar, lively lilt of this year's Tokyo tourism ambassador sang through the speakers in faintly accented English, even as a beautifully edited montage of Japan's vibrant, culture rich capital played through the screens in seamless accompaniment. Places, people and delicious foods, all presented by the bright and expressive visage of the popular and upcoming food critic, travel and lifestyle host Kobayashi Rindou.

…Eishi wasn't quite sure what to do with the knowledge that his girlfriend was apparently fast becoming a well-known household name in his temporary absence. She hadn't actually gotten around to telling him about this newest media coup of hers, though he was starting to suspect that it had probably been a deliberate omission on her part, just so that she could spring this surprise on him now that he was home.

He had ended up wandering up to one of the interactive stations, just watching the fun and dynamic advertorial loop a few more times, processing the ramifications of her rising fame. Behind that flawless, enchanting perfection of her engaging and outgoing public persona hid all the hard work and effort that she had put into in order to earn this chance to take flight on an international stage, and this was only just the beginning. She had been striving furiously to pursue her future too, while he was busy chasing his own, and this was the result.

… _He was going to have to work even harder from now on too, or she was going to outpace him in no time…_

His lavender gaze lingered over that beloved face on the television which he had not seen for the last year or so, just hungrily drinking in the sight of her. There were subtle changes to be found in the profile of this gracefully maturing young woman that she had become; the way her facial structure had grown even more refined as the last traces of adolescence left her, her lovely features standing out in the bright exotic tilt of her glowing, catlike eyes, that faintly mischievous curve of her full lips, the elegant line of her nose, delicately highlighting the perfect symmetry of her pronounced cheekbones and slender, feminine jaw.

He hadn't thought that it was physically possible for her to do so, but she had become even more beautiful in his absence.

Perhaps he had been too hasty in completely forbidding any sort of visual contact between the two of them the whole of last year, but it was purely for the sake of maintaining his sanity that he had anticipated the necessity in doing so. She still remained the most unpredictable woman he had ever met, free spirited and charmingly playful in nature. There was always a quality of combustive volatility whenever he dealt with her, and as their relationship evolved to another level, he knew her well enough to predict that so too would the range of her interactions with him. Asking her to wait for him had been a double edged sword, though that had been no fault of hers…but more his, really.

He had always been unapologetically selfish when it came to possessing the things he loved, and with her he had been no different. Cornering this young dragoness into agreeing to curb for him had been an attempt that only the most foolhardy or _bold_ would do, but that gambit had succeeded, though her moody, tempestuous _retaliation_ had brought him to his knees.

Even now, he only had to close his eyes and _that_ divinely erotic image of her would rise to the surface with such pristine clarity and detail, it was almost as if all he had to do was reach out and he would be able to _touch_ her.

The rose pink flush of her skin, the way she breathed his name, the flutter of her eyelashes. How her spine arched so beautifully like a bow, lush figure shuddering, breasts heaving, feminine hips straining as she writhed frantically and came undone on his bed, long, shapely limbs tangling amongst sheets, her bared form trembling helplessly with spent passion and… _unhappiness_ …

* * *

 **Location: Paris, France  
T minus eleven-thousand-four-hundred-and-sixty-one hours**

In the aftermath, he had simply, wordlessly covered her with his shirt. Her eyes were dewy with mixed emotions; the residual sexual high and excitement as he had watched her bring herself to completion, followed by the crashing, bittersweet dissatisfaction _because this wasn't what she had wanted_. She had gotten her pleasure, but it was ultimately empty and painful _because it hadn't been given by him._

In the aftermath, she had haphazardly buttoned his shirt together and curled into a ball on his bed, back turned to him, sulking.

Lovemaking was supposed to be a mutual exchange of pleasure…but she had never felt more alone and unwanted.

He had needed a long, _long_ moment to recompose himself after that highly charged, sensual performance she had put on, just for him. He didn't think that his heart was ever going to go back to a normal beat anytime soon. He didn't think that he was ever going to forget this evening for as long as he lived.

He didn't think that he could let go of her anymore, after this.

Still, the part of him that greatly disliked confrontation wanted to hightail it out of there right there and then, but passive as he was at times, he could never bear to leave her like this.

He quietly settled on the bed, just staring at her back for the longest time. Then, he slowly shifted, and she felt a heavy pressure between her shoulder blades. She tensed. It was him, leaning over, just resting his forehead against her in defeat, his eyes shut.

"…What are you doing?" she asked.

"Just hear me out. Okay?"

She stilled warily, but he took her lack of protest for consent. Or at least, he quickly plowed forward before she could indicate otherwise. All he could see in his mind's eye at that moment was her, curling into herself, small, vulnerable, shoulders slumping, sad and exhausted. All he could think was her being unhappy with him, her slowly realizing that _maybe_ this wasn't really working out the way that it should be. Other couples came together so easily and seamlessly, so why did they had to struggle this hard just to get here? _Maybe_ , just because they were the best of friends who knew each other inside and out, did not necessarily mean that they could become lovers.

 _If_ she ever started to think like that, then he would have lost her even before he had her.

"I don't think I can unravel myself from you anymore."

She stiffened at his words, but he reached out one hand and pressed it gently against the small of her back, stilling her, seeking her patience.

"I _know_ that I'm hurting you right now," he whispered against her back. "…But you tie me up in knots too, Rindou, and all those lines can only lead me straight to you. I'll come back for you. I'll kiss and nurse and soothe away all this pain and ache I caused you. So _please,_ let me be selfish with you this time…"

She turned, wiggling around to peer at him, face to face. His eyes opened, pale lavender quietly watching her, waiting for her verdict.

"You're being really selfish," she uttered at last, her tone deceptively neutral.

"…Yeah, I know."

"And I'm _really_ hurt."

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"And I'm still aching for you very badly right now."

 _She really went there._ He looked at her, his expression deadpan. She was looking back at him with that same nonchalantly mild and completely shameless expression. _She was really going to make this as difficult as possible for him, huh._

"…I can't do anything about that at this moment, so please bear with it for now."

"…" She was starting to pout, cheeks puffing out the way she always did back when they were still in Tootsuki. He started to relax a bit more at the familiar sight, growing less worried, more fond.

"Are you intending to sulk all the way home to Japan?"

" _Yes_. I'm going to sulk until you come back."

"That's…a _really_ long time to be sulking."

"… _Maybe_ I'll be inclined to sulk less if you'll give me something to make me feel better."

Now, she was just pressing her luck, much to his silently growing amusement. But then again, it was just exactly like her to do so. The deep, steady well of affection he reserved for her ensured that he caved to her request.

"…And what sort of something are you thinking of?"

She was silent for a while.

"I want _this_ ," she pointed to the article of clothing that she was wearing.

"…You want to keep my _shirt_?" She was such a bewildering oddball, as usual. "…Fine, if that's what you wish."

"Mhm," she nodded, very sure of her acquisition, which was really comfortable to wear and also smelled like him as an added bonus. She was turning towards him now, snuggling more into his side. "And I want a kiss."

"A… _kiss_." This was harder to fulfill, mainly because he really didn't trust his own actions around her. But she was looking at him really expectantly, so he resigned himself to giving in, once more. "Just one? Nothing else?"

She nodded again, innocuous as could be. " _Mm_. But not from you to me. From me to you."

 _Okay_. A kiss. From her to him. It wouldn't be too bad to agree. He could do this. It would be a good memory to have of her, when she was gone.

"…Alright. Just… _one_ kiss."

She lit up completely with such childlike pleasure at his agreement, and he wanted to groan at how disarmingly _cute_ and earnest she was being at the moment. She really was making this so hard for him…and he might just very well be the dumbest man this side of the continent right now, for desperately throwing on all the brakes when he had this beautiful woman desiring to be with him so.

Then, he had no more time for self-deprecating thoughts, for she scrambled upright and threw one long, bare leg over him, climbing on top of him, firmly straddling his lean hips, her hands splayed against his bare chest. She looked down at him with a wicked arch of her brow, her good mood revived…and that was when he abruptly remembered that this beautiful woman was still very much naked under his shirt and was now practically sitting on top of him.

"By the way, one kiss can last for as long as I don't take my mouth off of you, right?"

"… _!_ "

 _This_ _witch_.

* * *

 **Location: Tokyo, Japan  
T minus thirty minutes**

His phone buzzed. He fished the device out, idly closed a few welcoming messages from the various Japanese telecoms, and then found the one that was hers.

 **[text]** Have you arrived?

 _ **[text]**_ Yes. I've just touched down.

 **[text]** Finally! I'm waiting right outside. Do you even still remember what I look like?

Did he still remember- _Was that supposed to be a trick question?_

 _ **[text]**_ I don't think I can forget...

 **[text]** Hurry up, then! Chop, chop! I'm freezing! And I'm hungry!

It was _always_ one or the other with her, wasn't it?

But for the first time in a very long while, his heart felt so light, and he picked up his carry-on and strode towards immigration, pace quickening. So did his pulse rate, rising in tandem with his anticipation.

Just a little while more now, and he would finally see her again in the flesh.

* * *

 **Location: Tokyo, Japan  
T minus zero **

She picked him out first, just as he was carefully threading his way out of the crowded arrival hall. The airport was, as usual, packed full of people in various acts of parting and meeting again, but his snowy white hair made him extremely easy to spot, and she had been waiting for him _for a very long time_.

She was already in motion by the time his gaze finally found her, flying towards him as if she had sprouted a pair of wings on her back, a huge grin growing on her lovely face, and a bright, bubbly laugh of joy escaping her just before she tensed momentarily and _launched_ herself right at him.

He dropped his bag onto the floor just in time to catch this fiery, incoming projectile of warmth and softness and pure happiness, heading straight into his arms. _Homebound_.

Her slender limbs locked around his neck and she buried her face into the side of his throat, sinking into his embrace, greedily inhaling this dear and familiar scent of his, something so subtle and small but that she had loved and missed so much that his presence alone was enough to make her eyes prickle with emotion.

" _Okaeri_ ," she puffed out, mainly because he, too, was squeezing her so tightly she could barely breathe, his nose digging into her hair, his lips brushing against her temple. _Welcome home._

" _Tadaima_ ," he returned quietly, _fervently_.He hadn't known how _right_ the words had tasted on his tongue until he was saying them back to her. " _Tadaima_ ," he repeated, mumbling the words once more into the rich silk of her hair, momentarily overwhelmed by the intoxicating, heady pleasure of her presence. I'm home. _I'm home._ He would imprint those words onto every _inch_ of her skin tonight if she would let him.

 _Home is here. Right here when I have you nestled in my arms._

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Alright, so this chapter is pretty self-explanatory. My intention was to cover the passage of time that these two spent apart from each other, counting down to the hours and moments all the way until reunion. A mix of something old and something new. Plenty of fluff plus maybe a slight dash of angst and also some sexy shenanigans!

The writing style for this chapter is a bit different since I'm jumping all over the place timeline wise – I hope it's not too confusing to keep track of!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Uh. About the 'no touching' thing for Eishi in Paris, he technically didn't _touch_ her, just to make it clear. (Rindou did a lot of touching though, haha.)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

This should be very obvious by now, but Eishi coaxing Rindou out of her sulks are some of my favorite things about this couple. Sulking!Rindou is so cute in canon, how can anyone resist that puffy face? Eishi certainly can't…which is why he is always being bamboozled by her, lol.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

For those of you who were wondering if I'm _ever_ going to write them doing the do (this is a legitimate question so please don't need to feel ashamed to ask!), the answer is yes! All these chapters are slowly building up towards that one inevitable moment so we're getting there soon! Canon!EiRin is a slow burn pair for sure. I'll do my best to make sure that the payout will be worth the wait! :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 21 y.o.

This installment is the continuation for chapter nine's ' **Eyes on me,** ' for those who are interested in keeping track of the timeline/continuity for this series.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I've got some very kind readers who noted that the EiRin fandom is small so it was really nice to have Peerless delivering so many ship moments for this beloved pairing. I just want to say that I feel like more the lucky one to belong to this small fandom where the fellow fans of this OTP are always so encouraging and positive with your feedbacks and commentaries for my EiRin fics. The biggest reason why I keep posting so quickly is _because_ your words inspire and motivate me a lot, so I wouldn't have done all this without all of you and your supportive reviews. Thank you for that!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and also the update for Dragon Heart! :)

P.S.: For those asking, yes! SoRina is an OTP of mine, as well as RyoAli. Together with EiRin (which comes first hands down), they make up my triple whammers for SnS. But other ships are also nice too, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 5105

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 22/06/17

* * *

 **Drabble #01 - Time flies**

* * *

If everything is  
imperfect in this world,  
love is perfect  
in its imperfection.

— The Seventh Seal

* * *

 **十八**

Most people would experience their first romantic relationship by their teens.

It was the springtime of youth and vigor, adolescent puppy crushes blooming into an awkward but ardent need to express passionate bursts of pure emotions towards their hearts' desires. Love could be found in all forms and shapes and sizes, but the ultimate expression came in the mutual, joyous joining of hearts, bodies and souls. It was the pinnacle of romantic dreams for high school girls; blushing, doe eyed lasses in sailor fuku sighing blissfully over the latest volumes of their favorite shoujo magazines, giggling with their friends over the doki-doki moments of the protagonists' love lives and blissfully fantasizing of their own pink, rose-tinted future loves.

Well, for _most_ of them, at least.

At that exact same age, the only thing that Kobayashi Rindou ever got starry eyed over was maybe an A5 grade Wagyu Kobe filet mignon, the beautifully marbled cut of perfectly raised beef seasoned simply with kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper, then expertly pan seared with melted European butter and Greek extra virgin olive oil. What would get her heart to go doki-doki were juicy, well grilled pieces of tender, flavorful yakiniku, the faintly charred bite-sized portions of _kurobuta_ and beef still sizzling over the charcoal grill, ready to be picked up with a pair of chopsticks and popped straight into her watering mouth.

When girls her age were coyly accepting love confessions from boys and going out on dates, the spirited redhead was happily accepting Shokugeki challenges and going around beating up boys (and also girls – she did not discriminate) in fiery food battles. To say that she was quite literally existing in another dimension apart from the norm would not be too far of a stretch, though of course, she wasn't exactly the only one. There were others like her too. It only made sense that those who were aiming to reach the top of the food chain would dedicate themselves wholly to the art of perfecting their crafts…but even then, most at least still retained some sort of social awareness and understanding even when it came to matters like interpersonal relationships, be it platonic, romantic or otherwise.

…Not so much for Rindou. The only types of interpersonal relationships she knew were the kinds that involved bullying/bossing around her hopeless best friend and then fussing over and looking after her cute, helpless kouhai. Then again, it hadn't really mattered to her anyway. She had never been interested in the first place so it wasn't as if she was missing out on too much. There were other more important things that required her attention. All the food in the world waiting for her to taste and experience, for one.

Then, she graduated from Tootsuki and lost her bearings a little. Cut loose from the establishment and the bonds that she had spent that last six years affiliated to and carefully fostering, even she had felt a bit off-centered by the sudden change in her life. She was also undecided about what she wanted to do in the future, and then even Tsukasa was going on ahead of her, having already secured an internship abroad to further master his cooking. She had seen him off happily enough all the same, like a proud family member waving him towards a journey filled with all sorts of fun adventure and delicious food. She still remembered the strangest look that Tsukasa had given her when she had sent him off with that 'even though you're an only child and your parents are kind of scary strict, you can treat me like your sibling and call me anytime you feel homesick' speech.

 _Huh_. Maybe he enjoyed being an only child and didn't like the idea of having a sister?

 _His loss, then._ Siblings were _awesome_.

At eighteen, she had watched as a plane took her best friend away beneath a clear blue sky, a day that had been colored achingly similar to one years ago, when they had both sat on a wide green meadow just outside of school and watched a pair of mated swallows dart and frolic happily across the field in blissful courtship and togetherness. _How carefree and young they had been, back then._

She brushed one hand over her chest and wondered bewilderedly at the dull throbbing that grew there in the silent void left behind by one Tsukasa Eishi.

* * *

 **十九**

"Are you dating anyone right now, Kobayashi-chan?"

The good looking senpai at the publishing house had asked her over a meal that day. She was still new to her work, having been recently hired by one of Tokyo's premier food and lifestyle magazine to review and do write ups on the various fine dining restaurants in Tokyo. Being a Tootsuki alumni had opened all sorts of doors for her in the F&B field, and being an ex-member of the Elite 10 (and a Second Seat at that) had all but practically guaranteed that her ability and experience in the culinary field would be taken seriously and with respect.

There was no doubt that she was very critical when it came to the food that touched her palate. She might not possess the God's Tongue like Nakiri Erina, but then again, she did not have to rely on that in order to grasp the fine nuances and exquisite taste of the dishes set before her. That said, she was still painfully new to this line of journalistic food work. There were ropes to learn, many new protocols and morals to memorize and observe; she could not open her mouth and just shoot out every politically incorrect and undiplomatic thought that crossed her mind. She had to be more civil and polite in her writings and commentaries. No swearing allowed and she had to work more on her grammar and vocabulary. There were more paperwork than she was willing to deal with. _Where was Tsukasa when she needed him…?_ Unfortunately, the man was another continent away and it just wasn't feasible to mail him all the documents to do on her behalf, and therefore she only had herself to rely on.

Work was difficult; it was challenging and it had its ups and downs, but she got to go anywhere she wanted and she got to eat whatever she wanted. Interacting with different people with different specialties under the wide umbrella of the food and beverage industry was also endlessly interesting…and Rindou found herself slowly thriving in this line and actually having fun, much to even her own surprise. Things usually had a way of falling into place for her, even as she wandered through life, poking here and there with inquisitive, bright eyed curiosity and wonder…

Back to the question that the good looking senpai was still waiting expectantly for the nineteen year old to answer.

"…Nope, I'm not dating anyone."

Still, unbidden, the thought of snow white hair and pale lavender eyes blithely crossed her mind. She had visited her best friend a month ago. He was currently in Barcelona, Spain, and she was glad that she had gone to see him and straighten him out, since he had been developing some really terrible housekeeping habits abroad now that she wasn't around to constantly prod him. He seemed to be doing well; she had thought that he would have a lot of problems adjusting but he was actually doing really good, and she was happy for him. It had been fun tagging on with him and he had showed her the local sights…which was also a bit of a funny experience since he kept getting them lost, which only seemed to fluster him even more.

"What do people do when they're dating?" she asked again, and it was a question that brought up some rather amusing memories for the redhead since she had posed the same thing to Tsukasa once before, well, _kind of_. He hadn't exactly answered her, either. He did turn red and splutter a lot, though.

"Well… _Eh_. I suppose it means that you go out with the person you like," the slightly older male replied, looking at her with obvious interest. "Do you have anyone like that, Kobayashi-chan?"

She looked at him curiously.

"I have a lot of people I like and I go out with them all the time. That's nothing too special," she commented, and the senior just stared at her, trying to figure out if she was really just that naïve or being deliberately obtuse. When she continued to eye him curiously with no change of expression, he started to consider if it was really possible that such an attractive young woman could remain so obliviously innocent at this day and age.

"No, I mean…have you never dated before?" Just what kind of endangered species was he treating to lunch, he wondered. "Dating means you only go out with the one you like the most, Kobayashi-chan."

 _The one she liked the most?_ Some things were slowly starting to click together, now.

"The one I like the most is not here," she told him clearly and distinctly, and at the same time unknowingly dashing the other man's hopes before they could even take flight. There was no hesitation whatsoever in her response, no blushing, no stammering, just a very sure comment.

 _The sky is blue. The grass is green. My favorite person in this world, I've already found him._

"Ne, what exactly do dating people do when they go out?" she asked the guy who had just hit and missed. He would be the first of a long line to come. "Also, can I have another bowl of ramen? I'm feeling kinda peckish today."

* * *

 **二十**

Rindou was twenty years old when she finally gotten around to having her first kiss, and it was wonderful. It was fun and it was good and if she had known that kissing could bring about this dizzying feeling expanding in her chest and making everything fuzzy and breathless and exciting, she would have done it with him a long time ago. They were a bit behind schedule, going by global kissing statistics, but then again, Tsukasa was also someone who tended to take his time when it came to this sort of things…or rather, he tended to dither and second guess himself but _still_ , better late than never, right?

They were both young and inexperienced and unlearned, but she had wanted him all the same, and he had seemed to want her back too, at least until she had sought _more_ , and then he had asked her to wait.

Waiting was uncomfortable, especially now that she was finally aware of what he meant to her, and what she had been missing all this time. She had never been particularly patient or good with waiting in the first place, so it had been especially hard on her. But even in yearning there was no question whatsoever that he was the only one she wanted to be with. It was unimaginable, the thought of replacing him with someone else just to soothe the vicious bite of her loneliness, to relieve the persisting ache. It had _always_ been him or no one else. She wouldn't accept otherwise. She _couldn't_.

Just like the times she had tried to satisfy herself only to be filled with echoing emptiness in the aftermath, there was no meaning unless it was with _him_.

So she did not even try.

Her pride was a bit stung, and she was a bit indignant that he was making her wait for him like some pining lady of the tower from medieval times while her knightly lover had gone riding off to conquer some holy crusade, but he had always been tender with her, he had always made his presence felt even when he was thousands of miles and entire oceans away and so she gave into his gentle courtship and forgave him for doing what he had to do first. Because like it or not, she did understand him, and all too well. Most would find him emotionally distant and difficult to fathom, but the truth beneath it all was that he was someone who loved wholly and wholeheartedly, with an intensity that was enough to give him tunnel vision, and nothing else mattered. His passion for his craft, that utter focus and single minded dedication that would allow for no interloper to get between himself and that which he loved, was what she had admired most about him in the first place. Like the White Knight moniker which he had been branded with, he was faithful, and he was steadfast.

And she knew that he did not love lightly, or frivolously.

In a way, this jarring, aching distance was a test for her as much as it was for him.

Because love is patient. Because love is kind.

And so Rindou learned to wait.

* * *

 **二十一**

They were twenty-one when he finally returned to her side to roost, and with that, the time that had stopped in his absence started to slowly inch forward again, once more. Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

 _Tsukasa, I'm hungry! Feed me!_

 _Yes, yes. Wait, I'm coming._

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Drabble #02 - The Stairway to Adulthood is Very Slippery (Part 1): Beginner's Luck**

* * *

Virginity was just a social construct, or that was what many people were saying these days.

Staying virgins until marriage was supposed to prove the enduring fidelity of paired couples; apparently waiting until the wedding bells rang before doing the horizontal mambo was supposed to be _romantic_. Rindou did not quite understand the whole argument for or against virginity, if people wanted to keep theirs for whatever reason, then good for them. If people wanted to throw theirs away and no law was broken and nobody died, then it was their prerogative. What was the big fuss about?

At the age of twenty one, Rindou was very ready to finally have sex for the first time. She had heard many good things about it. Conversely, she had also heard many terrible things about it. Some people could not have enough of it. Others would rather have their teeth pulled than suffer through another round of it. But either way, she wanted to do it, and the only person she wanted to do it with was finally back in the same country and therefore close enough proximately for them both to come together to attempt it.

How hard could it be to lose one's virginity? They were both willing, consenting, and healthy young adults. This was going to be a piece of cake, right?

 _Wrong_.

* * *

The first time they tried was shortly after he returned from Brazil. This was something that had been a long time coming and they knew it. They were both mentally prepared and ready for it, anticipating it, even. This time around, she had done all her field research and surveys (don't ask how) and made the necessary preparations even _before_ he had touched down at the airport. Her apartment was cleaned and aired out, the bedsheets changed to freshly laundered ones, and scented candles were arranged around the room to set the mood. She had shaved, exfoliated and rubbed herself down with perfumed lotion until every bit of her felt smooth as a baby's bottom.

Sexy lingerie…was a topic that confused her and Tsukasa hadn't been much help, either. She had pointblank asked his opinion once over the phone and he had promptly choked on his drink and nearly coughed up a lung in the process so she hadn't tried again. He had no idea what she was talking about, anyway. The whole erotic lingerie thingy was really confusing to her. She had seen the online catalogs; some of those underwear looked so impossibly complicated to wear with all the hooks and straps going every which way and wasn't the whole point of putting on lingerie to entice one's lover to quickly take it off? At this rate, knowing Tsukasa, he was probably going to be sitting there figuring out how to properly remove the skimpy clothes and stressing out a lot. In the end, she had opted for a simple lacy black bra and panties ensemble, throwing on her usual clothes quickly over the new set before heading off to the airport to receive him.

Reuniting again after that one whole year of separation had been _amazing_. She had been so happy. Come to think of it, they hadn't ever been separated for this long before, since they befriended each other at the age of twelve. Hopefully, there wouldn't be cause for them to have to keep away from each other like this again – that disconcerting feeling of loss was not something that she had enjoyed experiencing in his prolonged absence from her daily life. Coming together again after all that time apart had made her heart tremble with pure delight and pleasure. It could not stop singing with elation, locked away in the cage of her chest.

She hadn't seen him in what had felt like forever, and she could not quite seem to stop looking at him now that he was back. Living abroad had been good for him…or more like growing up had. Much like her, his appearance had changed, too. His shoulders had broadened out a bit more, that graceful, streamlined swimmer's build tapering to a narrow waist, lean, masculine hips and long powerful legs. His aquiline, aristocratic features had become sharper and even more chiseled compared to the last time she had set eyes on him. He had been impossibly pretty in his youth, but he was becoming flawlessly beautiful now, maturing into adulthood. The intent way his lavender eyes focused on her made her bite back a shiver of rising awareness and thrill _. He wanted her too._

The entire cab ride back to her place, they could not stop touching each other. He was not the most publicly demonstrative individual and she had not expected him to be, but he had held her hand with a quiet possessiveness she had never known existed in him. She had been driven to distraction by the way his fingers kept stroking her skin, lingering along the sensitive inside of her wrist, ghosting across the back of her hand, tracing over her knuckles, lightly feathering the insides of her palm. He hadn't looked at her the entire time he was caressing her with all that thorough tenderness, but then again he didn't have to. With how he was paying such deliberate, close attention to every line and every inch of her hand; already, she was silently shaking at his sensual onslaught. She had not known that intimacy could be like this. She had not known that this was the color of his affection, this slow, subtle burn that would not stop until she was completely engulfed in his _fire_.

They were on each other the moment they stepped through the threshold of her apartment and the door clicked shut behind them. Surprisingly enough, he was the aggressor here, decisively cornering her and backing her up against the wall, pining her and stealing her lips with a quietly fierce ardor that stole her breath away. His mouth sealed over hers, his hands spanning her waist, pulling close, surrounding her with his body. Her fingers clenched into the front of his coat, something deep inside her going curiously weak in the face of his assertive, _hungry_ ministrations. His tongue ran along the seam of her lips, drawing the rosy, pouting flesh between his own and intently sucking at her until it was red and tender, until her mind was nothing but a mess of confusing fuzzy thoughts interspersed by the giddy, exhilarating pleasure of his scent and his touch and his _heat_.

A viscous, honeyed warmth was starting to spread lazily through her middle, that was making her squirm and pant and rub up against him, instinctively trying to alleviate that rising pressure growing between her legs. She wanted more of his touch. She wanted his hands all over her and she wanted his mouth kissing her _everywhere_. She was starting to whine and nip eagerly at him, attacking his mouth with her own desirous aggression, biting and licking at his lips until he groaned at her sweet, ardent passion, his angular hips instinctively digging into hers, and she shuddered at the heavy weight of his growing excitement pressing against her stomach, something that still felt so mysteriously new, yet unbearably exhilarating at the same time.

She was trying to remove his clothes now, tugging at his jacket and delirious with the need to feel his bare skin rippling beneath her hands. He conceded to her demand, pulling away momentarily to free himself from his outerwear. The heavy coat fell onto the floor where it laid ignored, for Rindou was already determinedly tackling his sweater and shirt, eager to get him naked as quickly as possible. She helped him pull the articles of clothing over his head, and then she was running her fingers over his sleek, whipcord lean torso, humming with happy, feminine pleasure at the sight and feel of him. She ducked her head and ran her mouth down his pectoral, her tongue darting out to taste the warmth of his skin…and he _twitched_ when she bit him, just a tiny little bite right over where his heart was pounding in his chest, pinching his flesh with her incisors and marking the spot bright red. And then the wet, warm heat of her mouth was soothing his stinging flesh, her full, kiss swollen lips nursing him with erotic tenderness…

This beguiling mix of pain and pleasure was driving him up the wall. His head was buzzing frantically trying to process everything and each erratic pump of his heart sent more lust flooding through his system. He ached _hard_ to have her, and _soon_.

He pulled away from her distracting mouth to unbutton her coat, fumbling a bit, fingers trembling finely with impatience, his lavender eyes glowing in the semi darkness of her apartment, the pale irises sharp with _need_. She pushed her face into the side of his neck, dragging her lips down the pale marble of his skin, teeth and tongue nibbling and licking a trail along the flushing flesh, golden eyes glazed. She helped him along by shrugging off her jacket, and then she pressed against him, pushing him back and away from the wall, stumbling against him a bit, but yet reluctant to separate completely.

"Couch," she mumbled, and he grunted his accord, his hands encircling her waist once more, fingertips brushing against the sliver of her skin which peeked under her pullover, towing her along with him effortlessly. He might be wiry and lean in build, but he was a man and he possessed a durable, tensile strength that was so much more than her own. Funny how she was so acutely aware of his masculinity right now, the stark differences in their forms, the duality of her softness against his hardness. Like the sun and the moon. Like fire and ice.

His mouth sought and found hers again, tongues tasting each other, rubbing together and igniting an urgent, frantic heat between their bodies...

Their legs hit the seat edge of the couch - or rather, they reached the armchair first, and she pushed him down before following right after him, climbing on top of him and straddling his lap. Her hands rested briefly on his shoulders as they kissed again; she could not quite seem to stop kissing him, she was addicted to this closeness, their faces inches apart, that expression of flustered need and urgency that painted his usually distant features into something so, _so_ primordially hungry and sexy, and she was the sole target of his attention. She absolutely _loved_ it, relished in it, this thrilling sense of empowerment, the way he stared at her like he had never stared at anybody else before. So this was what it felt to be desired. This was what it felt to _want_.

His hands grasped her flanks and pulled her flush against himself, both gasping when her hips ground against his, and she was all but vibrating with barely pent up sexual excitement-

 _Bzzzt. Bzzt-bzzzt. BZZT._

…That was a bit too much vibrating for a human to physically achieve though, Eishi realized belatedly after a couple seconds or so. And it was _not_ stopping. He sighed into her mouth, then pulled away when it got too distracting to ignore.

"Phone," he muttered into the side of her bared throat, kissing his way down the slender column, his fingers lingering on her waist and stomach. She growled unhappily at the interference and reached into her jeans pocket to fish out the irritating object, intent on tossing it, but then the flashing caller ID gave her pause. It was her Boss. She could not ignore this call. She answered.

"Kobayashi desu," she greeted distractedly, her voice breathless and husky. His tongue traced her collarbone slowly, and her gold slit eyes _darkened_. It took inhuman effort to concentrate on the crisp voice on the other end of the line.

It was a job. As always. A last minute camera interview with the president of one of Japan's oldest sake breweries had become viable, so she was being sent down ASAP to Kyoto to cover the exclusive. Rindou wanted to groan, immeasurably frustrated even as she acknowledged the message that the film crew would be by to pick her up shortly. But jobs were not something that could be pushed off willy nilly, especially in her line of work. Personal integrity and professional ethics were incredibly important in the entertainment industry. They were very important everywhere, actually. She gritted her teeth and ended the call as civilly as she could, then leaned her forehead onto his shoulder, slumping in defeat.

"…Work?" he asked, having already more or less caught the gist of the one-sided phone conversation which he had overheard.

"Work," she confirmed, her voice muffled. She was still struggling to calm her racing heart, the heated blood raging through her veins, crying at the injustice of it all.

He was silent for a while. And then he sighed again. "…I need a shower." _A cold shower, to be more exact._

She turned her head and peered at him. "You're not mad?"

He looked at her.

"I'm _not_ thrilled that we're interrupted…but I'm not mad at you," he answered carefully. He was disappointed. He was _very_ disappointed, but such was life. When work called, it had to be answered. He would do the same in her shoes, so it wasn't as if he had cause to resent her for her choice. She huffed at his good natured, all around understanding response.

"Well, I'm mad! I wore my special underwear for you today! And you haven't even seen 'em!" she complained, lifting her head and scowling a bit. And all her hard work cleaning the apartment and preparing herself…all going down the drain!

He swallowed hard at the mental imagery her indignant words had, _uh_ , aroused. Never mind he had seen her naked as a jaybird already, but _still_.

"…M-Maybe you can show me next time, after you complete your job," he suggested delicately, faintly embarrassed by the conversation topic, but as usual, she did not seem fazed at all. What was there to be embarrassed about? She was his person, just as he was hers. And that was that.

She shook her head grumpily. "I can't. I'm fully booked for the next one month and I'll be touring around the different prefectures on media appearances representing Tokyo for the tourism board right after that. Tonight was supposed to be THE night!" She looked hopefully at him. "Say, when are you starting your next job, again?"

It was his turn to shake his head. "I'm due to report to General Head Chef Dojima tomorrow, so somebody will be coming to pick me up for the orientation."

Once it was made known that he would be returning to Japan, Eishi has had job offers thrown at him every which way from practically all the most exclusive fine dining establishments and hoteliers throughout the country. Everyone was curious to find out how the cooking of the ex-First Seat had evolved after his hiatus from Japan's culinary scene. One of which had been his alumni, and Dojima Gin had made an offer that Eishi could not possibly refuse. Once the contract was signed, the younger man would be affiliated to the Tootsuki Resort for the next three years, spearheading the French menu division for the resort chain. Well, technically, he would be taking over from the current head of department who was due to retire soon and would have to spend the next couple of months learning the ropes of how to run a series of restaurants while still ensuring that the quality of the meals remained top notch and that everyone's paperwork was done properly and processed on time…and the thought of the latter was almost enough to make him consider returning to Brazil and never coming back…

Rindou moaned piteously, knowing that this meant that he wasn't going to be particularly receptive towards sexy shenanigans of any kind until he has had his new job scope figured out, memorized front to back and then rearranged and revamped to further improve the overall efficacy of operations to his satisfaction. Depending on how messy the current division was (according to Eishi's standards), that could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

" _No_! I reject this reality! I absolutely refuse to accept it! And you! You need to be more aggressive with me!" she poked him. "Don't let me go anywhere! Forcefully tie me up in bed and deflower me properly! Right now!"

He almost could not believe that they were having this discussion. _Almost_ , because when it came to Rindou…he really should have known.

"What sort of unrealistic delusions are you having of me again," he muttered, even as he leaned forward and buried his face in her neck once more. He could not seem to get enough of her, and their time together was too distressingly short. Yeah, he was _not_ happy about this at all.

"You're driving me crazy," he told her. "…Now I'm gonna be thinking of you and your underwear periodically, I hope you know that."

"Okay, that's the whole point. But you need to think less and do more," she prompted him meaningfully.

"…Nice try, but I'm still not deflowering you in fifteen minutes or less."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

So, for this update we have a 2-for-1 drabble combo, mainly because, as usual, I started out writing something serious and ended up with something crack-ish. I don't know why I'm like this. I hope you guys don't get whiplash from the change in mood in this chapter.

At any rate, do take the two drabbles as loosely connected but still separate events, to make things easier for everyone.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

' **Time flies** ' is the accompaniment piece for last chapter's ' **Homecoming**.' Since the latter was in Eishi's POV, I thought I ought to follow up with Rindou's this time around, just to complete the set.

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 18 - 21 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

' **The Stairway to Adulthood is very Slippery** ' is going to be a three part series so this is just the first installment. Be warned, I tend to write flowery smut so they can get very long, though for this set I'll be aiming for realism. Main reason is because both characters are (more or less) sexually inexperienced at this point of their lives, so it makes more sense if they are awkward _but_ crazy passionate about exploring each other.

 _ **Tl;dr:**_ If you're expecting a porn video worthy smut sequence, this is _not_ going to be it!

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 21 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 **Notice:** Apparently I will be touring China for the next ten days or so, therefore internet access to certain sites might be spotty. I got a VPN (which I hope will work or I'm gonna be so miffed), but if you don't hear from me, expect the worst. That said, I should be back by the beginning of July (latest), and I don't think FFNet and AO3 are banned in China so I probably shouldn't have any problems accessing the accounts to put up my updates as per usual. Keeping my fingers crossed!

As always, thanks for reading!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 12031

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 01/07/17

* * *

 **Drabble# 01 – Outtake: Les Trois Mousquetaires**

* * *

When the French division of Tootsuki Resort were told that their new acting head was a young man, reactions were mixed.

They had heard that their new in-charge was supposed to be some prodigy when it came to the art of French cooking, but it was hard to believe the rumors especially once they learned that he was _only_ twenty one years old. He was barely just out of his teens! What sort of skills and expertise could such a young head chef bring into the prestigious kitchens of Tooksuki Resort? Sure, they had been told not to underestimate their new boss; that the talented young man had once served as First Seat of the Elite 10 in the affiliated Tootsuki Culinary Academy, and that despite his youth, he had already accrued over a _decade_ worth of experience in the field of cooking, but it was not easy to remain calm in light of such unsettling news...

Then General Head Chef Dojima brought the White Knight of the Table into the central headquarters of the French division, and all the gathered kitchen teams from the various branches of the division appeared rather stunned and bewildered by how mild and altogether underwhelming the new French Head Chef was when compared to his outstanding list of achievements. The man also possessed a ridiculously fair appearance, and a placid temperament that seemed completely at odds with the aggressively invasive approach to the exploration of cooking that he was rumored for…and he had also looked a bit too delicate to survive the heat of the kitchen. The womenfolk fawned over his beautiful visage immediately. The menfolk were none too impressed by that dithering and faintly troubled demeanor – _how was this guy supposed to lead their division properly when he didn't even look like he could lead himself out of a paper bag?_ Or at least that was what they thought until Dojima placed one hand behind his younger counterpart's back and pushed him forward.

"Go, Tsukasa. Show your new subordinates what you're made of."

As it turned out, there was a lot more substance to Tsukasa Eishi than what met the eye. The young man was nervous and a bit withdrawn around people (not entirely his fault especially with so many of them standing up and greeting him so suddenly when he didn't even know any one of them and hence he had been understandably startled and skittish) but the moment he stepped into the kitchen, everything changed. The calm that overtook him, that ergonomic grace and speed in which he worked the counter, the quiet dignity and confidence when he was cooking, they all spoke of his worldly experience. When Tsukasa Eishi cooked, it wasn't simply a means to prepare ingredients and turn them to food – it was a flawless, pristine performance from start to end.

He was incredibly brilliant, and after the first taste of his test dish, the entire division quickly come to see the gem that General Head Chef Dojima had secured for their division. The way he presented his dish, the deep respect he had for his ingredients, the sheer amount of sensitivity and delicacy required to achieve that level of perfection on that plate, it bordered on inhuman and his ability was almost terrifying in the effortless way he seemed to be able to elicit a satisfying, lingering pleasure on the palates of those who ate his food…even well after the meal was over.

Even the three section sous chefs had nothing to say after bearing witness to the overwhelming might of their new head chef's cooking prowess. Still waters run deep, indeed.

Over the course of the next three months, the young man had also proven himself more than capable of stepping up to the challenge of taking on the administrative matters of the multiple fine dining restaurants managed by the French division. He always looked quite comically harried and stressed though, and the people he worked with soon learned that this was his default mode. Their new boss was a bit eccentric, and he tended to shy away from people he did not know too well, and he also wasn't very good at socializing and dealing with the adoration and praise that his patrons heaped on him. He worked really hard however, and despite his appearance, quickly proved to be the kind who was not afraid to get down and dirty to get things done. In light of his serious work ethics, it wasn't too hard for the entire division to start accepting their new head chef, however awkward he could be at times.

Now, if only he'd ease up a bit when it came to the proper filing of paperwork, then maybe most of his senior ranked subordinates won't start speed walking the other way the moment they so much as see him coming at them with a stack of documents…

* * *

"…You sure look like a sight for sore eyes, Ryuji."

Higurashi Ryuji lifted his head from his desk and met the visibly amused gaze of his colleague, Toyoda Daiichi. Coming up right beside the latter rounded off the third and final member of their trio, Kimura Shin. The three of them were the section sous chefs of Tootsuki Resort's French division, and each section head took care of a branch of fine dining restaurants, reporting directly to Head Chef Tsukasa Eishi. Ryuji was the A section's sous chef, but for the last few days he had spent less time cooking and more time pushing papers instead, much to his dismay.

His fellow section leaders were trying not to look too obviously gleeful at the other man's misfortune. It would seem really low of them, to kick a man when he was already down, but they did not feel too bad because just one week ago, Ryuji had been in their shoes gloating rather obnoxiously while the two of them were running around like chickens without their heads trying to dig up all the relevant files that the new head chef had requested for review. It was really nice to know that there really existed karma in this wonderful world.

"Oh, shuddap," the twenty-nine year old grumbled, face planting onto the work desk like most of his soul have already been sucked right out of him. "I didn't even knew that we had a Form 113(d) until today, and I've been working for Tootsuki for almost a _decade_. Why only Form 113(d)? And what happened to Forms 113(a) to (c)? Where are they?"

It was obvious that the man had been working on way too much paperwork for the last few days, especially if he was already asking questions that had no answer and really should not have any answer. Shin and Daichi exchanged a glance.

"You know what, I think it's time for you to take a break," the section B sous chef uttered as he stepped in and pried his friend and coworker out of his chair, and Shin followed up by assisting as well. Ryuji was almost done with his work, anyway. "Let's mosey on down to the hotel bar and get you a drink – you look like you've earned it."

"How had I ever thought even for one moment that our new head chef's a pushover? The guy's a scary little bastard. Doesn't ever take no for an answer and while you _might_ think that you've got the upper hand at first, but no. _Hell no_. Trust me; he's 100% evil and totally aiming to take complete control of this entire division, mark my words." Yet, even as the words sounded filled with vitriol, there was no denying the ring of grudging admiration in his tone.

"…Seeing that he's being brought in to lead the division, that's actually the whole point," Shin commented carefully. "And I know that you're just expressing your esteem for our new boss, but maybe you should do it with less criticism, Ryuji-senpai."

Ryuji roused enough to squint grumpily at his kouhai. "You're such a suck-up as always, Shin."

The C section sous chef was the youngest out of three at the age of twenty-six, but that was not saying much, especially since their boss was a good five years his junior. It really just showed that age was no fair approximation for skill these days. Shin was also the newest member on the team…or at least he used to be until Head Chef Tsukasa came on board. He sure was glad not to be the eternal newbie now, though it wasn't as if anyone was foolhardy or quite ballsy enough to haze their own superior, even though he seemed like the kind that would be very… _interesting_ to trick…

The three men headed out of the administration offices and waited for the elevator to take them down to where the lounge area was located. The headquarters of Tootsuki Resort's culinary section was situated within the flagship mega-hotel that sometimes hosted training camps for the students of Tootsuki Culinary Academy, and a lot of the division heads lived on site on the resort grounds since they headed the many different restaurants that operated there, catering to the demanding taste buds of the guests who visited to have their cravings for good food and wellness taken care of by the exquisite and thorough expertise of the Tootsuki brand.

"Speaking of Tsukasa-san, why don't we ask him to join us?" Daiichi quipped. Out of the three, he was the one who appeared most at ease with the new management, though that was probably because the B section sous chef had always been the kind to be very curious about everything, food _and_ people included. It was what made him such an outstanding chef; that willingness to experiment with different types of food to create new, interesting fusions for the menu.

" _Hah_?" Ryuji asked with incomprehension. "You do know that the man's still waiting for my paperwork, right?"

"It's fine. You're almost done, aren't you? And you're supposed to submit everything tomorrow anyway. It's already after workhours – our team needs to bond socially to strengthen our connections and work effectively across the different sections. I'm sure the boss will agree."

"That sounds really good and all, but has Tsukasa-san actually taken up your offers for after work drinks?"

It had been three months since the White Knight had joined the ranks of Tootsuki, and so far he had managed to avoid most of the unofficial socializing and drinking events that the entire French division as a whole would organize every now and then, or barring that, would make his obligatory appearance before presenting his excuses shortly after. Unless there was anything to do with cooking and work, he seemed to be an intensely private person…which, unfortunately for the man, only seemed to further fuel his staff's nosy interest in him.

"Oh, c'mon! Aren't the two of you the least curious about that guy? If the three of us combine forces, we'd probably be able to pry him out of his suite for a while this evening. Haven't you at least wondered about what drives him? Head Chef at twenty one! That kind of focus and dedication is something amazing, even though we already know that he hails from Tootsuki Culinary Academy. Does he only think about cooking in that head of his? What about other obligations? Family, significant other, etcetera? What are his motivations?"

"You're being really rude. I don't think you should call our boss 'that guy,'" Shin reminded the twenty-eight year old dourly. "…Also. He mentioned once in passing that he has a girlfriend."

Now, this was news to the other two. They turned their heads to look at the younger man.

" _Wait_. He _told_ you that he has a girlfriend? He doesn't tell me anything!" Daiichi complained.

"He has a _girlfriend_?" Ryuji sounded more incredulous. "That guy's obviously a workaholic and a perfectionist – where does he even find the time…"

"Ryuji-senpai, you're starting to sound jealous…" Shin shut up when he got glared at by the (not-by-choice) bachelor.

Daiichi turned around fully to face Shin. "Why are you being liked more than me? Just when did you even find the time to have a heart to heart talk with the boss? And you didn't bring me along too? And to think that I looked after you so well all this time! Traitor!"

Being glowered at by the other two sous chefs made Shin wither, just a bit. He also looked faintly bewildered by his seniors' indignation. " _Eh_ ," he scratched his nose. "It's not as if I was trying to probe into his private life. The subject came up when I was talking about my kids."

The C section sous chef was a family man. He married young and even though he was still in his mid-twenties, he was already a father to three with another one on the way. He was very proud of his family and often spoke of the adorable antics of his young children to anyone who were willing to listen. Shin had shared a similar conversation with the young Head Chef once during a lull period, and had curiously asked if the latter had any plans for a family of his own in the future. The white haired man had coughed and he had looked quite taken aback by the unexpected question, but since the other chef had already shared so much about himself, Tsukasa-san had uttered something about a girlfriend…and then he had changed the subject before Shin could ask more.

The elevator door slid open was a quiet _ding_ and the men piled in. Daiichi pressed the button to the level which served as one of the residence floors for the Tootsuki Resort in-house staff. Now that they had learned this interesting titbit about their boss (whom they had previously assumed might have been asexual) – it wouldn't hurt to hear the truth from the horse's mouth.

"Are you really sure that he has a girlfriend?" Ryuji was still skeptical. "I've been working closely with him for the last three months, and trust me, there's no indication whatsoever that the man is attached. The only thing that he's attached to is maybe paperwork. And definitely cooking."

"Not all girlfriends are the kind that needs constant attendance and attention from their significant other. Or maybe they are taking some time apart. You know how these things go," Shin replied. He also wondered why his fellow sous chefs were so nosy and why they were all reduced to gossiping about their boss like a trio of busybody OLs lingering by the water dispenser.

"I wonder what kind of girl the girlfriend is. If I'm the girlfriend, I'd be watching my man a lot closely – the guy's ridiculously good looking and he's quite a catch too. I certainly wouldn't mind eating his cooking for the rest of my life," Daiichi quipped, earning strange looks from the other two. " _What_? Don't tell me that you guys weren't won over by the test dish he made for us that first time. It was love at first bite, or you two would have raised a bigger stink about him."

"…You're being really, weirdly, fixated on him, aren't you?"

"Daiichi-senpai, I'd really appreciate it if you stop projecting your fantasies to the rest of us. I'm a happily married man and I love my wife very much."

"Go screw yourselves. You know what I mean."

But of course they did. They wouldn't have worked in concert to support the shift of responsibilities from their previous, much respected boss to this new one if there had been any doubt regarding his ability to lead the division to new heights.

"Maybe his girlfriend is the imaginary kind," Ryuji interjected then. "You know, the 2D kind?"

Now it was his turn to receive strange looks from the other two.

"…Seriously, Ryuji, will you stop that. You're starting to take on a distinctly greenish, troll-like tinge, and envy's so not a good color on you at all."

"I'm _not_ envious that my twenty-one year old boss who's eight years younger than I has a girlfriend!" Ryuji was oddly specific in his denial. "I'm just trying to account for all the possibilities!"

"Does he look like an otaku to you?" Daiichi countered. "A 2D girlfriend, really? Have you _seen_ the man lately? Does he look like the kind who will even need a fictional girlfriend? The guy probably only needs to snap his fingers and he'd have women falling all over him. Men too, in all likelihood."

"Oh for god's sake, why don't you just form a fanclub for him and be done with."

Shin just looked from one bickering senpai to the other…and he wondered why all the people he worked with were so aggravatingly _weird_.

* * *

A few minutes later, the two older sous chefs were still halfheartedly bantering back and forth as they walked down the carpeted hallway where a lot of division heads resided in the adjacent rooms, and it took them next to no time to arrive at the suite that the Head Chef of the French division was living in. Daiichi leaned on the doorbell waiting for the door to be answered, and after a somewhat long pause, the door opened, and a faintly surprised looking Eishi stood at the threshold. Dressed casually in a pair of lounge pants and a shirt, his hair was tousled and he looked faintly distracted.

"Eh? Yes?" He looked at the three sous chefs and his brow started to knit in concern and rising alarm. "Is something wrong? Did anything happen?"

Before he could start to panic, Shin cut in, waving in greeting as he did so. "Don't worry, Tsukasa-san. Nothing wrong happened. Well, nothing wrong that we know of, at least. Ryuji-senpai, Daiichi-senpai and I are just on our way to get some drinks downstairs; you know, to wind down after work and all that. We were wondering if you'd like to join us, Boss."

"E-Eh?" Even after a few months, being called 'Boss' still flustered the white haired man something fierce, especially since the other three were all older than him in age. "U-Uh, I appreciate the thought, but I'm kind of getting ready for bed already…"

Granted, it was already nearing eleven in the evening, but there was no such thing as 'too late' when it came to drinks, especially when one was in Tootsuki Resort, where the bar never closed. Eishi was an early riser, however, which meant that he usually was not the stay-up-late-to-party type – that sort of activity usually stressed him out a lot, especially since he typically got accosted by all sorts of individuals more often than not...

"C'mon, Boss," Daiichi cajoled. "Hang out with us for a bit. Let's get to know each other more. We'll be working together for the next few years so there's no harm socializing, right? We're pretty decent folks, promise. I'm sure you've got lots of interesting stories to share about the places that you've worked at – and so do we. Let's swap stories and share drinks. It'd be fun."

Eishi rubbed the back of his neck. As far as he was concerned, he wasn't really a very interesting individual. In the past, his food was usually more than enough to do all the talking for him, but that was obviously no longer a feasible substitution, now that he had a leadership position foisted upon him by the General Head Chef, who hadn't really allowed him to decline when he gave Eishi the whole chain of Tootsuki-brand French restaurants to run and improve on. Eishi wanted to sigh at the recollection; he really had no interest in managing people and doing all the tedious work that came with running restaurants; he had only wanted to cook, but paperwork kept finding him no matter where he went.

And now he also had to brush up on his lagging people skills, and he was trying his best, but it was stressful to have so many people look up to him and depend on his directions. This was even worse than that time back when he was First Seat. But at least the sous chefs whom he were working with were really dependable and experienced at their jobs, and had readily picked up his slack in this momentary downtime while he had been learning the ropes from the previous Head Chef.

There was really no going around his assistants' invitation, and they had been reaching out to him a lot, certainly plenty more than most others would; the latter intimidated by his reputation, and then further repelled by his distant (and at times pessimistic) demeanor. _However_ …

"I don't mind, but can I take a raincheck? Now's not really a good time-"

Before he could finish though, he was interrupted by a muffled voice chiming from within his suite.

"Tsukasa, who's that?"

The voice that carried over from the adjoining bedroom was obviously female. Eishi's three sous chefs perked with interest, glancing briefly at each other before turning their attention to the white haired man, who once again looked briefly startled, and then there was no time to react as a gorgeous redhead popped her head out the bedroom door, and that was how Rindou first met the section sous chefs who worked with her boyfriend.

" _Oh_. Hello! Who are you guys? Are you Tsukasa's friends?" she chirped, only her upper torso visible from the doorway. She was dressed in what looked like a loose, button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and the collar unbuttoned, silken waves of crimson hair flowing loosely down her shoulders, golden slit gaze alit with curiosity. Like Tsukasa, she, too, appeared like she was in her pajamas…

The men outside the door stared, slowly connecting the dots. The young woman was stunningly beautiful, in a breathtaking, exotic and subtly wild way. She also looked vividly familiar, like they had seen her plenty of times before, but they were just too surprised right now to put a finger on _where_ at this moment. It also took the trio awhile to register the ramifications of her dressed for bed…in their Head Chef's private quarters. The man in question coughed and they turned their attention back to him. Those usually distant lavender hues were sharper now, and the guys _stared_ some more, this time at him. That was a look that they hadn't seen on him before, a result of their double take and unintentional gawking at his gorgeous female companion. _Was that irritation?_

Eishi gestured lamely at the three, since Rindou was still awaiting introductions. "Uh, these are my coworkers. Section A sous chef Higurashi Ryuji, Section B sous chef Toyoda Daiichi and Section C sous chef Kimura Shin of the French Division."

Rindou waved at them, friendly as always.

"Heya! I'm Kobayashi Rindou! Nice to meetcha!"

…Kobayashi Rindou? _Ah_! _That_ Kobayashi Rindou?! The pieces were all starting to click together now. It was amazing what the presence of an attractive member of the opposite sex could do to the minds of otherwise intelligent, perfectly functional and highly capable men. Reduced to shuffling and mumbling, they bobbed their heads and returned her greeting almost shyly. Rindou was very fascinated by their presence as well as its implications.

"Tsukasa!" Her eyes sparkled proudly, having overheard some of the earlier conversation shared between the men. "You made friends!"

Eishi was hard pressed to keep the exasperated look from his face. "Why are you making it sound like I have no friends?" he muttered back at his girlfriend.

"That's because you don't! You only have acquaintances and fans, _duh_ ," she quipped back, and the three sous chefs were openly gawping at how _human_ their head chef was now, in the presence of this bright, vivacious female. This was _definitely_ a side to the man which they had not known existed.

"Alright, hang on. I'm coming out too. Lemme put on some pants first~"

Eishi sighed, loudly. He did not look very thrilled at the moment, and faintly glowered at the men as they all paused to register the fact that they had been talking to one of the more popular and upcoming food and travel hosts in Japan in her _pajamas_.

"No, it's alright. They are leaving already. It's pretty late."

Suddenly, his words were a lot less hesitant and more statement of fact. It wasn't even a suggestion. Subjected to the subtly pointed stare of their boss, they became aware that the man would really like nothing more than to be left in privacy with his girlfriend, and that they were kind of being third wheels…or fifth wheels, in this case. Shin made the decision for the three of them, nodding in agreement.

"Right, Tsukasa-san is correct. It's late and we shouldn't intrude further. It's really nice to meet you too, Kobayashi-san. Please excuse us." He glanced meaningfully, apologetically, at Eishi, wordlessly conveying their regret at the disturbance. "Please join us next time, Tsukasa-san."

The white haired man's stance softened, just a bit. He nodded. "I will. Thank you for extending this invitation. Have a good rest of your evening, you three."

"Eh?" Rindou sounded disappointed. "But-"

Eishi was already shutting the door, though. "No buts. Bedtime."

"Hah! You just don't want me to tell your new friends all the embarrassing stories that I have of you, right-"

The door clicked shut at the comical accusation, and it was also telling in the way it revealed the amount of history the two must share, for the passive, people-avoidant Tsukasa Eishi to be so comfortable…and also protective of Kobayashi Rindou.

The three sous chefs wandered back down the hallway where they had come from, and then once again were waiting for the elevator at the lobby.

"…Well, at least we know now that the girlfriend's not the 2D kind," Shin commented, and he was faintly bemused by the stark difference in personalities between that couple. Opposites really do attract, it seemed. Kobayashi-san appeared to be as vibrant and spirited as her adventurous on-screen personality, whereas Tsukasa-san was more reserved and tempered in character. Thinking of it like that, they did seem like they would balance each other out…

Ryuji was visibly disgruntled that his hypothesis had been proven wrong. If anything, that girlfriend was larger than life and very much blessedly three dimensional in _every_ way. "…Some men really have all the luck," the A section sous chef muttered, and Daiichi still appeared rather impressed.

"… _Wow_. He's dating _Kobayashi Rindou_. His girlfriend's a friggin' celebrity _!_ No wonder he seemed largely disinterested in anybody else. I wouldn't be interested too if I'm dating a bombshell like _that_. How did he even managed to snag her, I wonder? _Damn_ , our boss is a god. You should learn from him more, Ryuji. Maybe some woman would eventually take pity on you and you'd catch yourself a girlfriend too."

" _Goddammit_. Stop rubbing salt into my wounds already, will you?"

* * *

 **Drabble #02: The Stairway to Adulthood is Very Slippery (Part 2): Second Time Lucky**

* * *

If you've never laughed during sex, you're having sex with the wrong person.

\- Anonymous

* * *

"Oh geeze, you're such a wet blanket, Tsukasa! Those guys came all the way up here to invite you for drinks – you should have gone with them!" Rindou was commenting as she plopped onto his bed, crawling unceremoniously over the man in question to the side that she had claimed. She was very adamant about the side she slept on, as he had quickly learned on that very first night they shared a bed. It was always the left, and she was never too shy to demand that he move to give up the spot to her. He didn't quite care which side he slept on so long as he actually got to sleep, so he didn't really mind her particular nature when it came to bedding arrangements.

This sleeping together thing was still something quite new in the first place; with their busy schedules, they seldom had time to even see each other lately, what with him being permanently stationed up the mountains where the Tootsuki Resort headquarters was situated for the foreseeable future, and she traveling all over the country for the new program that she was filming. In fact, the only reason she was here right now was because she had a shoot tomorrow at a nearby locale, and hence she could afford to pop in and stay over for the evening.

Tsukasa sighed. "If I went with them, I'd have to leave you here alone. Are you really okay with that?"

" _Hm_. I could join in too, you know. It'd be fun," she suggested, and the look on his face really said it all when it came to his opinion of that option, which made her snort with amusement. "Oh, c'mon. I won't scare away your new friends!"

"I'm not worried about that." He turned to face her too, his gaze lingering on her animated features. "…I'd rather spend time with you," he murmured honestly. She would be gone again come tomorrow morning, so he wanted to make the most of their time together.

Her expression lit up as a beautiful grin grew on her face. "Oh yeah. I've got no objection to that…" she agreed, drawing even nearer to him, enough that she could count the individual strands of his long pale lashes, the pristine inflection in his lavender irises. "So…does that mean we're gonna make out now, or what?"

He looked at her, his features carefully schooled even as his heart started to beat a bit faster at her enticing proximity. Her warmth, her softness, her scent – they were all so close, and he was filled with a rising need to touch her. "Do you want to?" he asked.

She huffed, her shoulders shaking with faint mirth. "Do I want to? Is that a trick question?" She reached over, took his hand, and pressed her cheek against it. She nuzzled her face into his hand and kissed the heart of his palm. She peered at him with those luminous, catlike eyes of hers. "Just kiss me already."

So he drew her closer, his palm cupping the side of her face, fingers gently caressing her skin. His tenderness made her gaze heat up, and a slow, steady tendril of desire started to unravel in her. "Tsukasa," she whispered. He leaned in, chastely brushing his mouth against hers, and her full lips pouted at the sweet contact, wanting to prolong the moment for as long as she possibly could. They shared breaths as their mouths remained pressed against each other, as her tongue flicked out, softly traced the seam of his lips, trying to coax him to play with her.

His mouth parted, and he carefully drew her bottom lip between his teeth, gently nipping at her, and she squirmed against him, excitement starting to rise as well. His tongue ran along the slick flesh, soothing the faint imprint that he had left there, and then he probed further, curiously tracing her teeth, her gums, licking at the roof of her mouth, teasing her tongue. A little delighted hum escaped her, her eyes fluttering close, her face upturned to his like an unfurling flower, and she settled happily into his arms. He was mesmerized by how she always came so easily to him. It felt so utterly, justifiably _right_ somehow, that she was here, because they belonged to each other.

Eishi deepened the kiss, pressing in a bit more firmly, taking control in that quietly intense way that she was coming to expect from him more and more. This side of him belonged only to her, and she wanted to draw out more of his fire, she wanted to burn in his flames. She parted her lips more at his wordless insistence, their tongues rubbing sensually together before he drew hers into his mouth and softly suckled. A quiet, muffled moan escaped her, her pulse starting to race, as a lazy heat started to spread across her body. Rindou readily returned his kisses with her own, licking at him, nibbling at the corner of his mouth, her tongue exploring him just as thoroughly as he had her. His scent, his taste, his touch, they all whispered things to her that made her want to get even closer to him. Her arms came up of their own volition and wrapped around his neck, and she pressed up to him, _clinging_.

The white haired male stilled at the way her curves rubbed against him in an all too feline manner. His fingers shook faintly as he brought his hands down and spanned her slender waist, over the flimsy material of her nightshirt. He pulled her even more against him, wanting more of that proximity, an instinctual need to feel her wrapped possessively around him. They broke the kiss reluctantly for air, their breathing growing heavy, and he lowered his head to drag his lips down her slender neck, drawing a line along her bared throat. His tongue flicked deliberately at the jut of her clavicle, one hand tugging at one side of her clothes, exposing more of her shoulder, and then he proceeded to press his mouth over the smooth skin; bestowing a succession of ticklish, soft kisses that made her gasp and shiver, her fingers tightening into the white hairs at the back of his nape, seeking to receive more of his wonderfully demonstrative attention.

He was still a bit uncertain about _touching_ her, and his hands lingered around her middle and the rise of her hips for the most parts. Sometimes, his fingertips ghosted over the softness of her thigh, the long, graceful digits tracing and memorizing the slender curvature of her knee before heading up again, catching her forearm, his larger hand easily encircling her smaller limb, caressing the soft, creamy insides of her wrist and up, steadily driving her crazy with his little, subtle displays of affection. He was surprisingly touchy and eager to _touch_ her, but he also seemed bound by some sort of inner moral code that stopped him from going too far in his explorations at the same time. Perhaps some other women would have appreciated his consideration for their modesty, but most definitely _not_ Rindou. He was such a terrible _tease_ , she could not help but think, and she had never been particularly patient in the first place.

"Touch me more," she demanded bossily. She pulled her hands free from his neck and reached down to her nightshirt, unbuttoning the article of clothing enough that her upper torso was exposed by the voluminous, gaping material, half falling down one shoulder, revealing all that flawless expanse of bare silken skin, only obscured by a pale violet bra that matched the beautiful color of his eyes.

His gaze darkened at the sight, and when he met her stare questioningly, she shrugged. Now it was _her_ turn to attack.

"My panties match, too…~"

He paused at her innocent remark. The sultry mental imagery that her words elicited rendered him momentarily speechless. _Oh, gods._ Before he could form a proper, coherent response, she took his hand and placed it over one bra-clad breast, her fingers gripping his firmly.

" _Touch me_ ," she insisted again, her brilliant golden eyes watching him unhesitatingly. "I want you to run your hands all over me, Tsukasa."

She was so straightforward and forthright about her wants that he could not help but respond to her guileless candor. The initial awkwardness and mild embarrassment were quickly dissipated by wonder…and growing desire, flaring once again in light of the hungry way she was staring at him. _She wanted him._ She wanted him to touch her, just as badly as he wanted to touch her. And she was _so_ enticingly soft, pressed into his palm. Her breast filled his hand, and even through the lace of her bra, he thought he could sense the rapid beating of her heart, fluttering in her chest with excitement and nervousness as well. It was nice to know that he wasn't the only one feeling that way, stuck between this knife edge of wanting and anticipation.

He groaned and buried his face into her neck. "You feel so soft," he uttered, and his long, adroit fingers closed around the firm flesh gently, curiously probing, touching, caressing the full globe, memorizing the feel of her, something that was so wonderfully new to him.

She snickered a bit at his fascinated amazement, as he squeezed her lightly, slowly kneading at her and making her heart thrum even faster. "Have you never touched boobs before, Tsukasa?"

He raised his head to look at her, his gaze deadpan. "…Whose boobs am I supposed to touch, again…?" A legitimate question, not to mention that silent addendum to his question. _Other than yours?_

More emboldened now, he placed his other hand on her other breast. He watched her closely also, just to make sure that she was still receptive to his advances – and she was.

"So…I suppose that means you've no experience taking off bras too?" she asked, her eyes glimmering with humor, and he stilled at the question.

"E-Eh?" _Taking off bras?_ He had no idea that he had actually repeated her question until she nodded.

" _Mm_. If you're going to play with me, then at least unwrap the pretty packaging first~"

He paused and looked down at the article of clothing in question. It might as well be holding the secret of the universe for all the understanding he had towards its proper application.

"… _Huh_?"

She was trying not to laugh at his blank expression of stupor. It had been a long time since she had seen that befuddled look on his face. She leaned towards him, trailing kisses along his cheek and to his ear.

"It unhooks at the back," she murmured helpfully, even as her tongue darted out and drew a teasing line along his earlobe. He shuddered at the erotic sensation. "Take it off, pretty please?"

"Rindou," he moaned softly, but he did as she directed. Slowly, he helped to undress her, first tugging at her nightshirt until her arms were free from the sleeves, then pushing the crumpled material down to her middle, where it was still loosely buttoned nearer to the hem, bunching around her rounded hips. Like him, she was lying on her side facing him and she stilled obligingly as he snaked his arm around her, fingers tracing the fabric of her bra, sightlessly feeling for the fastener that she had mentioned. She started to kiss him again, nipping at the shell of his ear, gently pinching the sensitive flesh with her pointed incisors, brushing her lips along that patch of skin just behind his lobe… She was being thoroughly distracting, and her hands pressed against his clothed chest, running along his smooth, wiry musculature, trailing lower to the hem of his shirt, slipping beneath his top to run her fingers happily over his warm, bare skin. She liked touching him too, lightly scouring her nails across his pale flesh, raising faint red welts over the landscape of his body. He bit his lip at the sensation. She made his thoughts fuzzy and so hard for him to focus, _really_ …

"Found it?" she whispered by his ear, just as his digits finally located what he was looking for. He felt so clumsy as he fumbled about blindly trying to figure out how to release the catch, and she purred against him, encouraging him. " _Hurry_."

There was more groping, and then, just when he was about to give up and make her sit up and turn around so that he could remove her bra properly, the catch came undone.

"Finally," he muttered, relieved. Removing her scanty underthings was almost as stressful as that time he was made to serve that extremely demanding customer with all sorts of food allergies and who kept threatening to sue the restaurant every other sentence. This payout was much, much more satisfying, though. He pulled the lacy, feminine undergarment away and her full, perky breasts sprung free onto his hands. He was promptly preoccupied by the feel and sight of her attractive bosom.

She was amazing to touch – he was _still_ astounded that she was allowing him to lay his hands on her like this. She felt really _bouncy_ , too. He briefly pondered _why_ a woman's chest possessed that curious property. Was it because there were more fat deposits? He would have opened his mouth to ask but thought that she might smack him for the question. So he ended up rubbing and massaging her buxom chest, and he decided that they reminded him of a pair of large, juicy peaches – they weighed somewhat the same too, though that might be another piece of information that he probably should just keep to himself – and he started to wonder how she would taste…

He was being very enthusiastically running his hands all over her, though he also seemed to be momentarily lost in thought, and she wondered if he knew that he was making her feel _really_ good. Her nipples were pebbling against the friction of his warm palms, a little gasp escaping her when he gently fingered a dusky pink nubbin, rolling the sensitive areola between his thumb and forefinger, beaded like a pretty little berry.

He paused.

"Are you okay?" he asked, subtly alarmed by her reaction, the way she was trembling faintly against him. But his gaze was also darker and more intense in shade than usual, betraying the fiery need burning in there, fully focused on her.

"N-No, I mean, yes. I'm fine." She opened her eyes and looked at him, her feline gaze glowing, half-lidded. "It feels _strange_ when you're touching me like that."

"..Strange?" he repeated.

"It's not a bad kind of strange," she murmured, snuggling closer into him. Her voice was muffled as she buried her face into his neck. "It's a good kind of strange. It makes me feel very… _aware_ of you."

He did not quite understand what she meant. His brow knitted a bit.

"Do you like it…?"

" _Mm_."She nodded her head against the crook of his shoulder. She lifted her head again to meet his gaze. She watched him for a bit. "You know, you don't have to worry so much. This is new to me too… Do whatever feels right to you."

That said, she leaned in and kissed his neck, the angular line of his jaw, the corner of his mouth. She nipped at his lips, sighing a bit when he slowly resumed his sensual ministrations, and then he took it one step further, lowering his head and kissing the slope of her breast, tongue darting out to paint a line along the soft, milky flesh, all the way to her exposed nipple. A soft, curious lick at that dark pink center was the only warning she received before he drew the sensitive tip into the wet heat of his mouth, and she startled at the delicious sensation that his action elicited, a surprised mew escaping her.

This time, he did not ask for her opinion. His tongue curled around her areola, flicking once against the erect flesh, and he began to _suckle_.

She arched a bit, her eyes fluttering shut, her hands coming up to grasp at his shoulders, automatically trying to steady herself because she could feel herself go _weak_. She had never thought herself overly sensitive, but he was proving her wrong once again. Liquid heat rushed through her, spreading outwards from the pit of her belly until she had to squeeze her thighs together in an effort to alleviate the spiking lust that was jagging through her entirety with the swiftness of a lightning strike. Then, he suckled even harder, and she _yelped_ , another moan being dragged right out of her as he busied himself satisfying his curiosity, learning her body as rigorously as whenever he set himself to committing to something he loved.

"Tsukasa," she breathed his name shakily, and he released her aching nipple to briefly look at her, the flesh gleaming wet with saliva. Beautifully flushed, her catlike eyes glowing like twin gems, she did not appear in distress or adverse to his actions, and so he proceeded to trail butterfly kisses along her breast, crossing to the deep valley of her cleavage, lightly nibbling on the porcelain skin, then that graceful lower curve of her bosom. He sealed his mouth over a particularly delectable spot and deliberately marked her flesh red. She exhaled again, one hand coming up to the back of his head, spearing her fingers through his white hair, holding him close. Encouraged by the way she seemed to be lapping up his attention, he proceeded to shower her with more of his quietly possessive kisses, his hands softly caressing and fondling the rest of her chest as his mouth was occupied lavishing his demonstrative affection at the same time, until she was squirming against him with increasing restlessness, her blood heating up even more in her veins, gasping and rubbing herself against him like an amorous feline.

He was driving her crazy with his meticulous exploration of her body. That utter focus of his ensured that he could spend all night touching her with his hands and mouth if she let him…but of course she was not content to be the only one being pleasured. Her hands tugged restlessly at the hem of his shirt, and she pulled away, sitting up suddenly on the bed looking deliciously disheveled and tousled, her bare chest heaving magnificently as she made her fierce demand of him.

"I wanna touch you too," she insisted, not taking no for an answer, already helping him pull his top over his head. He obliged, both unwilling and unable to tear his gaze off the sight of her. She pushed him onto his back, straddling him firmly, and he sucked in a deep breath at the way she pressed her hips into his, even as she leaned over and spread hungry, possessive kisses over his pectorals. Mimicking what he had been doing to her earlier, her tongue ran across his smooth, sleekly muscled flesh, the slick, nimble appendage tracing the flat, circular disc of his nipple, tantalizing and kissing him in ways that made him grow increasingly flustered and lust roar through him in a disorienting manner. This was the kind of wild, unrelenting passion that he wasn't quite experienced enough to respond properly to…but she was more than happy enough to take the lead, running fully on instincts and this overwhelming desire to be as close to him as physically possible.

Her hands drifted lower along his taut stomach, blunt nails scouring more trails of faint, unbroken red across his skin, all but purring with delight at getting to touch him. She also continued to rock into him, becoming more and more excited at the growing hardness that she could sense pressing up against her parted thighs. Her soft, enticing mouth roved lower down to his abdomen, licking and nipping, and his hands grabbed her hips and pulled her close, encouraging more of that addictive friction between their clothed loins, mimicking the act of coitus that they were both so eager and ready to have with each other.

He could not bear her teasing for too long, and losing control right now was _not_ an option, though she certainly seemed hell bent to make him lose his mind. Her hands started to linger around the waistband of his lounge pants, her fingers toying with the elastic material and starting to delve lower still when he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and swiftly reversed their positions in a rare, but effortless show of dominance. He wasn't exactly the most muscular or bossy guy around, but he was at least capable enough to knock the breath right out of her every now and then, reminding her wordlessly that she wasn't the only one in this relationship with the ability of unbalancing him.

She already knew all that, though.

And then he had her pinned beneath him.

She raised her hips into his, increasingly needy. " _Tsukasa_ ," she moaned, and he was a bit taken by how she looked at the moment; her hair a bright banner of red spread across his pillows and covers, lying half naked on his bed and utterly wanton, eyes bright with desire for him. Her nightshirt was bunched around her waist now, exposing her pale lilac panties and her long, long legs. She reached for him, pulling him down unto her, one slender, lithe leg already hooking possessively around his waist, even as she kissed him lustily on the lips, so warm and soft and eager for him. He was enchanted by her enthusiasm and passion. She was one who loved openly and fiercely, and he was only lucky enough to be the one she chose to bestow her affections on.

"I _need_ you," she mumbled against his mouth, as they paused to catch their breaths, their hearts beating in frantic tandem, hands running everywhere on each other's bodies, seemingly unable to stop touching, kissing. His mouth latched over the nook where her shoulder meets throat, and his hands drifted along her bare thighs, caressing with his fingertips as he slipped his hands higher and higher, until he was touching the edge of her panties.

He was jittery and nervous, excitement pounding through him as he tried frantically to recall a random locker room discussion that had once came up with his ex-colleagues about sex and first times. There was something about making the act pleasurable for her; it was _extremely_ important for him to ensure that she would like being _with_ him, and he remembered that there was also something about making sure that she was physically ready, because first times sometimes _hurt_ for some women, and he most definitely did not wish to hurt her. His fingers brushed against the crotch of her panties in a feathery, gentle touch, and her flanks twitched. An encouraging response. His index digit slowly applied more pressure, tracing against that softness between her legs through the delicate fabric of her dampening underwear.

Her breath hitched, her fingers digging into his shoulders, as increasing arousal coursed through her. He lifted his head to study her pinkened features, kiss swollen lips parted as she was starting to pant, becoming increasingly frantic as the callused pads of his fingers skated closer to the edge of her panties, and then finally slipping beneath the tiny scrap of lace to caress her needy flesh. That look of passionate want crossing her features was _so_ sexy, he could not look away.

She was all warm satin and velvety heat, the soft petals of her womanhood slick with sexual excitement, and that subtly sweet, musky scent that emanated from her made his own excitement spike too. His mind was hazy and unable to concentrate on any other thought beyond this enchanting female lying pliant and receptive beneath him, all too willing to be with him, and the urge to give in to the siren call of her lush body was growing impossible to ignore by now… He lowered himself carefully over her, grinding his clothed hips against her, and that sleek, heavy length between his legs slid deliberately against her panty-clad mound of Venus. She quivered, already shaking with anticipation.

She bit her lips and strained hard against him, enough that he had to wrap his hands around her waist to still her. " _Tsukasa_!" she nearly wailed in complaint. He could be so _cruel_ , she thought, already so impatient to have him, but as always, he was taking his time.

 _Sadist._

She was ready. She was beyond ready at this point, and through the thoughts and sensations racing across his mind, he was suddenly besieged by a niggling understanding that he was forgetting something rather important. He nudged her legs apart, settling against her more even as she was tugging impatiently at the waistband of his pants once more, trying to pull it down past his hips so that they could get to the main event already, when Eishi finally remembered what the others had cautioned about having fun _responsibly_.

"…protection," he muttered then, and she paused to peer at him with dewy, passion glazed eyes.

"… _What_?"

"Condoms," he repeated, lifting his head from her neck to look at her. "I don't have any with me. Do you have any with you?"

She gave him a befuddled look, passion still clouding her mind. A few seconds ticked by before she registered his concern. She shook her head. "…No?" Realization hit. " _Shit_. No. I didn't think that we were going to-" Crud. Crud crud _**crud**_.

He groaned and dropped his head onto her bare shoulder, still breathing hard, heart pounding in his chest like a drum, trying desperately to think beyond the fiery lust surging in his blood. He needed to cool down a bit more. _They_ needed to cool down a bit more. She whined unhappily. _So close._ They were so close!

"Can't we just-"

"No," he cut in quickly before she could shake his resolve, already anticipating her spur-of-the-moment question. He exhaled heavily, still trying to clear his head with little effect. "We can't. What if you get pregnant?"

They were still too young, still struggling to pursue their dreams and establish their careers. It was most important for her especially as a media personality. An indiscretion at this point would ruin her career and he would never do that to her; forcibly clip her wings before she even had her chance to take flight. It wasn't a gamble he was willing to take, just for a night of pleasure.

Even if he had a very valid point, she was starting to get miffed, sexually unsatisfied and churned to such a frenzy only to have her outlet denied to her. She wasn't the only one. His pale lavender gaze was dark and turbulent too, and she leaned into his neck and bit him in frustration, but her punishing nip only served to send a ferocious, renewed jolt of lust rippling through him. He bit back a muffled epithet, curbing the atypical urge to swear. At this rate, he might just expire of unfulfilled desire if she didn't kill him first.

"I want you _now_ ," Rindou sulked mulishly, and then she was kissing that sore spot where she had just attacked him, dexterous, catlike tongue laving the ache away…and causing a different sort of _ache_ elsewhere, further south. His fingers tightened against her waist warningly, but she had never been the kind to heed the danger signs. She pressed in even more, molding her luscious curves to his taut, harder form, very openly and shamelessly seducing him. Her voice carried a desirous lilt that sent a near imperceptible shudder coursing right through his whipcord lean frame, her ruby lips molding his name with erotic sensuality by his ear. " _Tsu. Ka. Sa-_ "

He turned his head and kissed her thoroughly, shutting her up before she could finish the rest of her sentence. He kissed her _hard_ , possessively and ravenously, wordlessly impressing upon her the stark understanding that she need not seduce him to make him _want_ her, that he already desired her frenetically and unreservedly. His mouth sealed over hers demandingly, that thin veneer of distant aloofness and control cracking spectacularly, as he all but sucked the very air out of her lungs with his scorching, punishing ardor.

She was breathing hard, and her golden eyes were wide, faintly startled when he pulled away long moments later, his own mouth reddened by the rawness of the kiss. _Oh goodness._ Him being forceful and domineering did things to her insides that made her lust after him even more.

"T-Tsukasa-" she started again, this time a bit more meekly now that she had awoken the tiger in him.

" _Quiet_ ," he rasped, hushing her. He drew back even more and _stared_ at her, his lavender gaze so sharp and fierce that her mouth obediently clicked shut. She also had to squeeze her legs together again, because he was making her panties _wet_. "…You're such an impossible, distracting handful, I swear."

"I'm _two_ impossible, distracting handfuls," she muttered back a bit too tartly to be wholly contrite, and case in point, those large, lean hands of his were cradling her heaving breasts, and he acknowledged her correction by briefly kissing those soft, creamy mounds.

"…Part your legs," he told her, trying his utmost to take charge of the situation, because knowing Rindou, she would be running amok and steamrolling right over him if he ever let her have the upper hand now. The only way to stay in control would be to out-boss her – no small feat, but he would do his best. Much to his relief, she obliged, curiosity prompting her compliance, and he slid one thigh between her knees, wedging her lower limbs apart so that she couldn't close them again. "The only thing I want to hear from you hereon is whether you feel good or not, okay?"

" _Eh_?"

It was a bit too late for her to have second thoughts now, he decided as he slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of her panties and tugged the scanty underwear over the swell of her hips and down her upper thighs. He let go and brought his hand between her legs, directly over where her hidden center was, and he cupped her intimately. She squirmed, yipping a bit at the feel of his warm, _warm_ palm pressing right against her most secret of places. She had never been touched like this before. It felt foreign, a bit strange, _but_ this was Tsukasa touching her like this; Tsukasa, who was watching her expression intently even as he started to trace those long, pianist's fingers of his along the slick, pink entrance of her flowering womanhood, making her gasp at how _gentle_ he was being. Tsukasa, who was pressing his thumb against the puffy, aroused cleft at the apex of her thighs, slowly probing, caressing, _fingering_ her.

She bit her lower lip and squeezed her eyes shut, her heart fluttering in her chest, the pulsing _throb_ between her legs growing in intensity, her hips raising of their own accord, pressing needily into his hand.

"… _More_ ," she breathed, and he was still a bit uncertain about what he was doing right – or wrong – at least until her hands reached down to guide him. She taught him how to place his thumb, where to find that little pink nub that drove her wild, how to stroke the highly sensitive, puffy flesh of her aroused labia until her legs were shaking uncontrollably and she had to muffle her growing cries against his neck.

It felt so different, being touched by him as opposed to touching herself. But it was a good kind of different. It was an amazing, breathtakingly intimate kind of different, and she could not get enough. She had not imagined that it could feel this wonderful with another person. Or perhaps, it was more because it was _him_ that made all the difference. Tsukasa. _Tsukasa_.

Eishi wondered if she could sense that he was shaking finely as well, perspiring with the strain of holding himself back in the face of her passionate outbursts. She was clinging to him tightly, one hand wrapped around his wrist as he slowly started to slip one index finger into her taut, grasping body. She panted, deliciously flushed, eyes bright, looking so irresistibly delectable the way she was surrendering so sweetly into his touch, unfurling like a blooming flower.

"Like this?" he asked, his voice a pitch rougher than his usual dulcet tenor. Oh _god_ , she was so soft and warm. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her wet heat. Her sleek inner walls bore down on him like a velvet vise as he slowly stroked his finger in and out of her, and all he could think at the moment was how it would feel to have her wrapped around him like a gloved fist. He carefully worked the tip of a second digit into her snug passage, and she tensed, quivering unsurely. He kissed her neck softly, his movements careful, pushing in deeper and testing her limits until her nails dug into his wrist, and she shook her head.

" _Unngh_ ," she moaned, arching slightly to relieve the achy pressure. He eased up on her and curled his fingers a bit, and her hips wriggled on their own volition, her mouth parting, breathing hard. Her fangs glinted, and she licked her lips.

" _Eishi_ ," she mewled in startled pleasure. He straightened and then curled his fingers again, this time eliciting an even stronger reaction from her.

"Oh god," she gasped, rocking her bare hips against his hand. "Yes. _Yes_."

She turned her face into his neck. " _Don't stop_ ," she implored breathily, her voice muffled against his skin. She licked and kissed him restlessly, wordlessly encouraging him to keep going. Her flanks twitched and rubbed amorously into his hand as he renewed his efforts, intent on being the one to bring her to her climax. She was so slippery, his fingers gleamed wet with the evidences of her desire for him, and her body was increasingly restless now, strung taut as a bow.

When she finally came undone, her hips jerked helplessly against him and she went completely stiff, her thighs clamping shut around his hand and locking him still against her throbbing core, and the wild, carnal rapture that crossed her exotic features stole his breath away. He watched her with a half-lidded, glowing stare, having never seen her in this hyper-charged state of abandon before. That he was the cause and the effect of her current condition filled him with a fiercely elated, masculine satisfaction.

He was quietly kissing her bared throat, her shoulder as she recovered from her orgasm, still trembling like a newborn fawn. She had never lost control so utterly like this before, so dazed and flooded with satisfaction that she could only turn her head and kiss him back again and again and again, his face and his cheek and the corner of his mouth, his chin, his jaw, everywhere she could reach, really, just filled with this immense need to express her pleasure.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered hoarsely in her ear, and she stirred enough to press into him, knowing that unlike herself, he was still stiff with unfulfilled _need_. He was then the beautiful one, she thought, but the way he looked at her sometimes made her feel like the most desirable woman in this world.

"Your turn," she murmured, and then she kissed his mouth, pushing at him until he was sitting back on the bed, and she crawled over him, shimmying her panties off along the way, her hands reaching for his pants, his arousal obviously tenting the fabric.

"R-Rindou," he stammered, a bit self-conscious now, a faint flush coloring his cheeks, even as his pale lavender eyes were stark with desire for this gorgeous woman on her hands and knees before him and more than willing to fulfill his desire for her. She cocked her head at his modesty, her golden eyes gleaming with something that was faint amusement and feline pleasure… She pounced at him, and then he had an armful of purring, naked woman on his lap, nipping at him and distracting him thoroughly, even as her hand ghosted over his erection, drawing a muffled groan from him.

"I wanna touch you too," she told him huskily. "Sharing is caring, Eishi~"

Her hands delved beneath his pants and boxer briefs, soft fingers eagerly touching that velvet steel of his arousal, gently enclosing around his heated flesh, freeing him from the confines of his clothes. He buried his face in her neck, feeling vaguely embarrassed and awkward.

She looked at him with sparkling fascination. She had never really seen an erected penis up close and personal before. He was pale pink with a mushroomed tip, slightly curved and elongated, with a healthy girth and a heavy weight pressed against her soft palm. She was getting exciting just touching him, especially in light of her own growing need to see to his pleasure as well.

"It's not as scary as my brothers always said it would be," she concluded aloud at last, and her random commentary was so ludicrous that he lifted his head to gape at her, forgetting his previous state of chagrin. "It's kind of cute, actually."

"… _Cute_?" he repeated, slightly strangled and also faintly offended. _Cute_ was probably amongst one of the last things that any man wanted to hear in reference to their manhood. _And what on earth had her brothers been telling her?_

"Yep," she nodded in confirmation, affectionately petting the head of his penis like it was a friendly snake. He had obviously passed her inspection and she looked quite happy with the merchandise. He shivered at the way her fingers caressed his heated flesh from tip to root. "You and I are gonna have loads of fun together, penis-kun~"

He groaned. "…Please don't ever refer to my penis as a third person."

She snickered at his long suffering expression. "Then you better teach me how to please you too," she demanded earnestly, nuzzling him. Her hands danced along his rigid length, fingers curling around him, carefully sliding up and down. She could be very gentle too, when she wanted to, and he was ever thankful for her delicacy. Shuddering with excitement because _she_ was touching him, he took a deep breath to maintain his composure, before he reached down and showed her how to use her thumb to spread the pre-cum beading at the head of his phallus along the rest of him, the right amount of pressure in her grip to maximize his pleasure…

"Like this?" she asked, pumping him, gliding her slickened fist up and down again and again and again.

He grunted into her shoulder, closing his eyes and nodding. "Y-Yes... But _faster_."

She obliged his request, though she could not help but think that the locomotion felt vaguely familiar to her. "I feel like I'm churning butter."

He didn't mean to laugh, but her remark drew a snort out of him, his shoulders shaking at her innocuous statement. " _Rindou_ ," he sighed. This woman pleased him in all sorts of ways, and that was the truth.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

His eyes opened, those pale irises focusing on her with stark intensity. " _You_."

His arms tugged her closer, and he kissed her shoulder. He whispered honestly, almost inaudibly, into the base of her throat. "…I'm thinking about you. How you smell. How you feel against my hands. How you taste. …I'm thinking of that look on your face when you came earlier. I'm thinking of how much I want to have you, to be with you, to have you wrapped all around me."

Her motions grew faster at his quiet words, his voice low and mellifluous…but also strained as he made a concentrated effort to regulate his quickening breathing. He was flushing more now, his usually pale color heightened by arousal and physical exertion, his heart racing in his chest. A familiar tingling was starting at the base of his spine, and he knew that his climax was near. He wasn't lying when he told her that his mind was filled with nothing but her at the moment.

She was overwhelming, his heart's desire.

"I want you too," she responded honestly, eyes bright. "You make me want you so much, Eishi."

She was entranced by the expression on his face, his flustered need, how he was biting his lips, the way he was _looking_ at her with such passionate _want_. He made her shake in excitement too, further renewing her need to please him. She was determined to be the one to please him best, even if she had to spend the rest of her life dedicated to this goal. She was going to beguile him, enchant him, captivate him wholly, until he could see no one else but her. Because such was the way Kobayashi Rindou _hunted_ , with straightforward, overpowering intent. She had found the one she wanted, and she was going to sink her claws deep into him even before he knew that she already had him firmly in her grasp.

" _Rindou_ ," he breathed her name again, an almost reverent, lingering whisper, just as he arched into her fist, his eyes fluttering shut, those long, white lashes brushing against the upper slopes of his cheeks, a throaty groan escaping him as his orgasm held him in thrall. Her hand flooded with warmth as he spilled his essence; creamy, viscous pulses cascading thickly down his twitching shaft, coating her fingers with his sticky, pearlescent seed. She continued to milk him, watching him with that voracious, slit-pupiled gaze until he had no more left to give. He was panting heavily into her neck, struggling to recompose himself, his member still throbbing against her fingers, still half erect. She nuzzled him again, pressing kisses on his temple and cheek, tending to him just as he had her previously. He rested his chin on her shoulder, feeling like all the energy had just been drained out of him. He turned his head to meet her lips with his own, kissing her with languid affection, and she hummed happily.

This wasn't exactly the outcome that they had both wanted, but it came really close. Both of them mutually gratified and sharing pleasure with their bodies, curled up together in a warm, content pile in bed.

"…We need to clean up," Eishi sighed at the mess long moments later. She was already settling against him though, stretching out like a satisfied feline, loathed to move. She lifted her drenched fingers and curiously licked at his come, wondering at his taste. He just paused and _looked_ at her. Compared to some of the things he had watched her put in her mouth before, this was actually rather tame. It was also ridiculously _hot_. His previously spent body _twitched_ in response to the erotic sight. He wanted to groan in dismay. He didn't used to be so prolifically… _horny_ until she came along and decided to quite literally seduce the pants off of him, pun fully intended. Now, just thinking of her and her awfully distracting ways were enough to give him a rise on the spot, whether he actually want it or not. It was really very _inconvenient_. He wondered dourly if this was going to be the story of his life from now on.

Her tongue darted out again, another playful lick. He was musky, a bit bittersweet, and faintly salty. She could get used to his taste. He really did groan aloud this time, his mind conjuring explicit images of her raspberry lips wrapped around his cock, her agile tongue dancing along his length. " _Rindou_!"

She smirked impishly at him, licking her lips. "What? I'm cleaning up~" she sang teasingly. "Thanks for the meal. You're delicious. Feed me more next time~"

He was momentarily speechless. He knew that she was teasing him, but also knew that this was her way of telling him that she would not mind exploring more intimacies with him in the future.

"…Shower. Now."

She huffed. "Mou, you're _not_ fun. You're supposed to take me up on my offer right away. Help you churn your butter some more and all~"

He returned her pickup line with an anti-version of his own.

"You've _churned_ enough butter tonight. …And I'm also starting to think that you must be a succubus. Because you're already sucking all the life out of me."

Her shoulders shook at his flat retort, and he could not help settling his gaze on the enticing way her bare breasts quivered in her mirth.

" _Maybe_ ," she agreed slyly, her eyes dancing with feminine amusement. "But I'll at least make sure you die happy~"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I'm back!

China was _awesome_! The travelling was immensely exhausting though because the country is so big, but I got to experience a lot of this wonderful land, and it was really great. I recommend it 10/10. _Travel_! Travel as much as you possibly can, guys. It really gives you a larger perspective and understanding of the world around you, and you learn so much about the different people with different ethnic cultures and coming from different ways of life. The experience you gain is really invaluable. I know I was really inspired, for sure!

So. For this trip, I saw a lot of pandas in their natural habitat, climbed two mountains, and thankfully I did not suffer any altitude sickness but my legs had felt like they were going to fall off for days after, so there was that. I think I'm going to set my sights on Tibet for my next journey, haha. I shall aim to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp – a modest enough goal for a semi-professional couch potato, methinks! Oh, I also got to try hujiaobing, yak yogurt, and I also took a page from Rindou's book and sampled deep fried silkworms – which was actually surprisingly yummy! When travelling, eat like the locals do, right? Maybe I'll be confident enough to try the fried scorpions next time – I heard that they taste like shrimps. The centipedes are still a bit (way out) of my comfort zone, though…

The great (fire)wall of China is also really something amazing (for all the wrong reasons), so I had a lot of trouble accessing the usual sites I always go on, since sites like FB, IG, Google, and also tumblr are all banned over there. I apologize for the prolonged radio silence on my end the last week or so! I shall be getting on to answering replies shortly!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Alright, since I missed two updates the last week – I couldn't properly access AO3 for some reason, and the VPN was really unstable and only working less than half the time since I was in the deep mountains for the most parts – here's a mega update for all of you! Once again, there are two drabbles (more like novellas now ahhhh) in this installment, and FYI they are related and in chronological sequence.

 _Les Trois Mousquetaires_ is French for 'The Three Musketeers,' the title inspired by the fictional historical novel by French author Alexandre Dumas. I thought it was fitting for the whole 'Tootsuki Resort: French Division' theme. This outtake was motivated by my realization that poor Eishi really doesn't have any notable friends in the SnS series (only mostly fans/rivals/acquaintances) so I was trying to mix things up a little and throw some potential friends at him to see what happens, haha. I was also trying to explore EiRin from the outsiders' point of view, so it was another way of setting the stage for future interactions!

The Three Musketeers 'Section A sous chef Higurashi Ryuji, Section B sous chef Toyoda Daiichi and Section C sous chef Kimura Shin' are my OCs. As with most of my OCs, they won't have a lot of important roles to play in this series, but I thought it would be nice to add some different textures and colors to Eishi's professional life, as he grows into his roles and responsibilities as a functional working adult.

For those who were wondering, 'OLs' refer to office ladies in Japan. Don't ever let that gender fool you; men can gossip like hens too!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 21 y.o.

Most of you should have already guessed it; this is the follow up to last chapter's ' **The Stairway to Adulthood is Very Slippery (Part 1): Beginner's Luck**.' Guys, when I say that I write really flowery smut, I'm _not_ kidding. That's why I needed to split this whole 'First Time' series into three parts, lol.

You should also have already noticed that there are plenty of dialogues and interactions going on in between the smut – this is a couple that will _not_ be going at it like a pair of practiced, worldly porn stars. EiRin, in my most humble opinion, are best friends _and_ lovers. Sexual gratification is important and the ultimate goal, for sure, but so is achieving mutual pleasure and sharing intimacy because there actually exists a very tangible, affectionate bond stretching between these two. They are not simply having sex with the sole objective of getting off on each other's bodies, yeah? So the motivation behind the act of coitus here is different from that of the intention of pornography, the latter of which is more for the sake of audience's entertainment than anything else and hence it's usually so viscerally explicit. Sex between actual couples shouldn't be like pornography anyway – that's just so boring and unrealistic.

Again, this pair are also new and fairly untried, so there are a lot of exploring and fumbling and learning about each other (which always amuses me so because they are so awkward like puppies, hahaha!).

Last but not least, I hope that this 'drabble' serves as a PSA to everyone: Have fun responsibly. Cover your stump before you hump!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Thanks as always for all the wonderful support and reviews that you all have sent in during my temporary absence! They are all greatly cherished and loved!

May this precious ship live long and prosper!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4381

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 04/07/17

* * *

 **Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice**

* * *

That's when you know for sure somebody loves you. They figure out what you need and they give it to you — without you asking.

— Adriana Trigiani

* * *

Kobayashi Rindou was one of those lucky few individuals who seemed to have everything going for her when it came to all that mattered.

She enjoyed good health. She possessed a really strong, robust constitution and usually had no trouble acclimatizing to all sorts of extreme weather conditions. She did not like cold places too much but she could still adapt to the subzero temperatures if she had to, and she was happiest going around sampling any kind of local and exotic ingredients that she could find without incurring adverse reactions or stomach upsets. At the age of eighteen, she was already a well-seasoned traveler, but then again, with her family being the way they were, she had practically been born with the blood of nomads coursing through her veins so her unconventional streak and globetrotting wanderlust were pretty much keyed into her genetic code.

She was good at taking care of herself and also others. Whenever there was something that needed to be done, there was no hesitation to be had as she readily went to procure whatever was necessary, and her daring, bossy nature usually ensured that she was successful in her endeavors. She was a little rough around the edges but there wasn't anything that she was afraid to get down and dirty for, and she thrived regardless of whatever situation she had been put in. She had good instincts and the experience of a survivalist and she also understood that life was for living…and that only those bold enough to seize the day would live well. Life was an adventure as far as Rindou was concerned, to be explored, to be experienced, to be enjoyed.

Some would say that part of the reason why she always seemed to be doing so well was in due to her buoyant, positive outlook in life. She was an optimist, with an amazing ability to see the silver lining in any circumstances. To Rindou, unfortunate things that happened in one event were merely opportunities to experience something else in another. Interesting things were always going on everywhere, and if she got bogged down by every little problem that happened to her, then wouldn't she be missing out on all the good and fun moments? So Rindou did not have time to waste on all that negativity and needless worrying – in her experience, no matter big or small, problems usually resolved themselves given enough time, anyway! And so her irrepressible and curious nature practically ensured that she almost always landed on her feet, like a cat with many lives.

But every once in a while, even this independent cat needed to be looked after and cared for.

That morning after the first night they arrived in Hokkaido, the redhead had emerged from her hotel room appearing a bit flushed. Her white haired companion had looked at her funny all through breakfast, especially since her robust appetite was also conspicuously absent and she had seemed quite lethargic. She had picked at her plate when she usually would have inhaled everything in sight, and had only sipped at hot tea, her typical exuberance muted. _Perhaps she was still sleepy?_ In contrast, her color remained higher than normal, and even though she had been excited to come to Hokkaido because of all that fresh produce, dairy and seafood that this region was well known for, was she supposed to look so pink in the face?

The second indication that clued Eishi in to the fact that something was not quite right with Rindou was how she suddenly seemed completely unbothered by the cold, as they visited the morning market at Hakodate right after breakfast and she was running around with flushed cheeks and bright eyes, only dressed in her usual uniform with the blazer, plaid skirt and pullover, their school-issued outer coat conspicuously absent. The temperature was a chilly three degrees Celsius that day, and he had been bundled up in his own coat with an additional layer of woolen vest worn over his uniform beneath the outer wear and blazer for extra insulation, his hands tucked into his pockets to conserve heat. He felt cold just looking at her, but her spirits seemed to have been momentarily revived in light of all the fascinating ingredients and fresh seafood that were being peddled by the stall owners, and she actually looked more or less back to normal, only that he found her sudden resistant to the lower temperature really, _really_ odd.

The Second Seat was usually even more deathly afraid of the cold than he was, to the point where she would actually stop moving if the temperature fell too much for her to handle, and so she had actually packed extra winter wear for this trip…none of which she was using right now.

"Er, are you okay?" he had asked her during a lull, and she had nodded her head, her mouth full with the grilled squid which she had just taken a huge bite of. At least her appetite was returning with a vengeance now, and she was vigorously attacking everything in sight.

"Yep!" Her voice sounded a bit muffled. "I've never been better!" She pointed to a vendor selling a large variety of soft serve ice cream nearby, busily juggling a small bag of piping hot sweet potatoes at the same time, fresh out of the steamer. "Tsukasa, help me get the konbu flavor – I haven't tried that one yet!"

He just _stared_ at her.

"…You want ice cream…in this weather?"

She nodded, one hand flapping at the air right before her ruddy features. "Why not? I'm actually feeling kind of warm right now. I want ice cream to cool down!"

He did not know what to say, and was just completely bewildered by her random whims. _Warm?_ But his friend was also starting to look at him less expectantly and more impatiently as he took longer than usual to respond to her request…and so, sighing inwardly, he trudged off to fulfill her demand…

* * *

A few hours later, the situation could not be any more different as they were travelling via rail towards Sapporo.

"… _M'dying_ ," his travelling companion moaned pathetically, curled up in a miserable ball on her seat beside his own, shivering away even with two sets of winter coats covering her…and it wasn't even _that_ cold – the central heating system had regulated the entire cabin to room temperature...but one would not be able to tell looking at Rindou right now. Her face was barely visible, and her bright crimson hair could be seen poking out from beneath that pile of thick, woolen material she had burrowed herself into, and now, instead of flushed red, there was a distinctly sallow tinge coloring her features, and she could not seem to get warm enough.

They were only less than an hour into the four hour long journey, and already she had ran off to the bathroom to throw up _thrice_. The first two rounds had practically ensured that she upchucked everything that she had eaten in the markets that morning, and even though there was nothing left in her anymore, her queasy stomach kept roiling nonstop and refusing to let her put anything down, not even plain liquids, and to say that she was all too wretched now would be an understatement. She was making piteous noises and whimpering like she was at death's door…and he was _alarmed_ by her condition.

Eishi wasn't quite sure what else to do for her. He had given her his outer coat when she could not seem to stop trembling but that hadn't seemed to help much. He had gotten her some warm water but that had only made her throw up more. He had gotten her some fever medicine as well but as with the water, nothing was staying down. There were no medical bays onboard the train so he had asked her if she wanted to get off at the next stop to see a doctor, but she had refused since they were due to report in to Headmaster Azami once this train arrived in Sapporo …though he privately thought that she probably would not be in any proper state to sit through a meeting by the time they reached there, anyway…

She was still shivering hard, her body trying desperately to generate heat even as cold perspiration dotted her forehead. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her pale lips pulled down at the corners, her expression an unhappy grimace. He felt bad for her, and that was especially since he had never seen her so sick before.

The First Seat of the Elite 10 was quickly learning something about himself. He did not like feeling useless when his friend obviously needed help. He had been hovering impotently over her for a while now, and her condition wasn't improving no matter how much he was hoping for the best. Enough was enough.

 _What would Rindou do if she was in his shoes?_

…He _knew_ what she would do. She would not be sitting around twiddling her thumbs for sure. She would do whatever it took to make him feel better, because she was just that kind of person who would not give up until she fixed whatever was wrong with him.

Decision made, the white-haired young man fished out his phone and did a quick search online to check something. This train had no doctor onboard, but there was a dining car at the back. Once he found the relevant information he was looking for, he committed them to memory before putting his phone away, the rest of a plan forming in his head. He turned to the redhead, and she seemed to be dozing fitfully. _She did not look very comfortable…_

"Hey," he attempted to get her attention, hesitating for a moment before he gently laid his palm over her forehead. She felt clammy to the touch, and despite the lack of color on her face, she also felt warmer than normal. The fever was still holding her in thrall, then. Her eyes slowly opened, and she looked bleary, those normally sharp slit gold irises dimmed and tired. "Rindou."

"…Tsukasa?" she croaked in acknowledgement, and he awkwardly petted her. His hand felt cooler than the rest of her body, despite her uncontrollable trembling, and she leaned into his touch, instinctively seeking comfort.

"Hang in there. I'll get you something to make you feel better, okay?"

She squinted at him, and slowly grew more lucid as she registered his obvious concern. She stretched out one cold hand from beneath the coats and patted his forearm, as if trying to comfort him instead, much to his bemusement. "'Un'worry. M'fine. M'only dyin'... I'mma leave this cruel mortal coil quietly and painlessly. Tell my parents I love 'em. Kobayashi Rindou fought well 'till the end."

…She was surprisingly _dramatic_ when she fell sick, he was starting to realize. Despite the somewhat urgent situation, he gave her a deadpan look, some of his anxiety easing away at her usual oddball ways. "…You aren't going to die over a mild fever and a bit of stomach upset, Rindou."

She was going to feel really uncomfortable though, and he should at least try to alleviate that. He drew his hand away from her brow and stood up. "I'll be back shortly. Rest for a while until then."

She heaved a long sigh. "…If I cross over to the flower field on the other side before you get back, to you my best friend I bequeath my precious five spice natto with stuffed wild hare innards that I left fermenting back in school."

His lips twitched at her comically forlorn comment.

"…Yeah, _no_. If you're going to threaten me with _that_ terrible monstrosity of yours, then you most definitely won't be dying under my watch."

* * *

Not too long after, Rindou was nudged awake once more by her fellow Elite 10 member. She jolted to consciousness and looked a bit grumpy and confused, having finally settled into a semi-decent restful state after all that tossing and shivering. Eishi's features swam before her vision before she blinked and her sight adjusted to him.

"…Hadn't you just left?"

"I'm back. Told you I wouldn't take long…" It had only been maybe twenty minutes since he took his leave from her side. "Hold out your hands."

Still half asleep, she was too befuddled to question his demand, and so she instinctively did as he said. He promptly handed her a steaming mug, and she gratefully clutched onto the heated porcelain, warming her cold, nerveless fingers against the ceramic. He sat down beside her while she was still pondering the mysterious contents within the cup, growing more awake with growing curiosity. "…What's this?"

"Drink it and you'll find out."

She sent him an unhappy look. "…Do you want me to puke my guts out again?"

"…It's supposed to help you with that particular problem. Drink," he insisted.

Her stomach was still queasy, but to her surprise, when she raised the mug closer to her nose, the restless roiling in her gut started to calm instead of getting worse. She brought her nose to the rim of the mug, inhaling deeply. She _knew_ this homey scent. Her restless stomach quelled a bit more. She drew another deep breath of the soothing aroma, luxuriating her senses in the smell and the gentle heat. _Maybe_ she would be able to keep this drink down…

She brought the cup to her mouth and sipped carefully at the warm brew. Strong, spicy notes of grated old ginger and the unmistakably soothing tang of lemon zest spread lightly across her palate, accompanied by the delicate, lingering sweetness of honey. Most importantly, the three flavor enhancers worked in seamless concert to suppress her giddy nausea. She swallowed slowly, and could feel the warmth reverberate down her esophagus and through her middle…and it was such a comforting, cozy feeling. She took another sip. And then another one more with growing enthusiasm when her body did not reject the drink, hydrating and warming herself with much relief and pleasure.

"How do you feel? Try to take the meds too."

"…You're like a housewife, Tsukasa," she blurted out unthinkingly, making his eyelid twitch. But she also obediently washed down the pills that he had handed her, and there was a faint smudge of color returning to her pallid cheeks, too. "…Did you make the tea?"

He was still eyeing her carefully, just in case the concoction did not work and she needed to throw up again. He shrugged at her question. It wasn't really his specialty, but making tea was not exactly rocket science either. Ingredients like honey, ginger and lemon could be found in just about every kitchen, and he had specifically picked the three because they were known to possess properties that could combat ailments like nausea and fever. All he had to do was adjust the proportions accordingly to achieve the desired taste and balance, ensure that the ingredients were infused properly, and, last but not least, that the serving temperature of the tea was precisely at the optimal incalescence for consumption; neither too cold to be unsettling and off-putting to her sensitive stomach, nor too warm that it would burn and hurt her.

Eishi watched as she happily guzzled down the rest of the drink, thirsty now that the threat of an unsettled stomach had been quashed. "It's yummy," she licked her lips, and looked almost sad that it was all gone too soon. She set the empty mug on the tray table and looked hopefully at him. "More?"

He shook his head. "Do you wanna throw everything back up again?" he countered, and she started to puff out her cheeks, unable to repel his logic. Well then, if she was already started to sulk, then she couldn't be _that_ bad off, he decided. "Rest. When we reach Sapporo, I'll make you something more filling."

She settled back beneath the layers of coats, momentarily mollified by his promise. "You're being suspiciously nice," she muttered, curling into her side on the seat and facing him. Her heavy eyelids were already slipping to half-mast; he was right – a nap sounded just like the thing to do right now. Besides, Tsukasa was going to be here…so everything would be fine. Rindou did not even pause to question _why_ she was able to trust him so implicitly. Tsukasa was Tsukasa. He was the most reliable person there was. There was no one better than him…even though she liked to bug and annoy him just to keep him on his toes…and also because it was funny to make him _twitch_.

His response was to glance at her, as she closed her eyes fully and looked like she was already on her way out. The earlier grimace on her face was easing away, the crease of discomfort on her brow smoothing out.

His pale lavender gaze softened imperceptibly.

"…What are you talking about? I'm always nice to you."

* * *

 **Five years later.**

He let himself into the darkened apartment using the spare key which she had given him a few years back, shortly after he returned from Brazil. He shrugged off his outer coat, switching on the lights as he ventured deeper into the small unit, a private, gated community situated in downtown Shibuya near the broadcasting station she worked for, the premises just big enough for one to live comfortably in…maybe _two_.

Unlike his own neat and pristine suite back in Tootsuki Resort, her place was cluttered with random knickknacks that she had accumulated during her travels. A Maui Tiki mask from New Zealand. Colorful throw pillows from the penguin post office in the Antarctica Peninsular. A chunk of fossilized fauna excavated from the Sahara desert. An entire hand-carved blowgun given to her by an indigenous tribe in the Amazon basin. And lots more, all scattered around the apartment in an _organized_ clutter, in the loosest meaning of the word.

In a way, her home represented her all too well.

Quirky, a bit wild, a voracious hunger for adventure.

She had always been one to surround herself with all the things she loved.

He would crash at her place whenever he came down from the resort on his off days, preferring the relaxed environment of her home compared to the more rigid one of his family property. She hardly minded his intrusion, was more than delighted to have him around _even_ when she was off filming in foreign locations. It was the reason why she had given him her key in the first place. _A home away from home_ , she had said. _Or was it a home away from home away from home?_

Unlike him who tended to hoard all his favorite things carefully and protectively, she had always been freely generous with hers.

In return, he had offered the key to his rooms as well, and it made the most sense since he spent the majority of his time on Tootsuki grounds these days…but she had declined, mainly because she seldom went up there in the first place, and also because she had a tendency of losing things willy nilly if she did not make use of them often. She, however, would demand his keycard to keep whenever she went looking for him, only to give it back again at the end of her stay. He had once muttered rather disgruntledly that she came and when like one of the hotel guests constantly checking in and out of his place like temporary lodging, and she had been amused by his faint irritation. She knew why he was annoyed. He was a creature of habit, of constancy, after all. He liked everything in their proper place. He liked knowing where things were so that he could find them, _always_.

 _It's 'coz you're better than me at keeping important things safe,_ she had told him, and he _still_ did not quite get what that had to do with anything.

Eishi carried the paper bag of groceries into the kitchenette, which while compact also contained all the necessities to accommodate every sort of cooking imaginable. Rindou might not be directly in the culinary world anymore, but she still retained all her practical expertise and technical skills from back during their Tootsuki days. If anything, becoming a food critic had only honed her knowledge of food and all the many different ingredients in the world to a razor edge.

The white-haired man walked over to the fridge and started to put away the fresh produce that he had bought, also setting others aside which he would be using to make dinner with later. He put the kettle on to the stove to boil, selected a paring knife from his knife case, and proceeded to wash and prepare the fruits and vegetables which he had left on the sink counter. A friend in France had sent over a pot of lavender honey last week, the beautiful, gold spun nectar freshly harvested off of the blooming flower fields of Provence, and he had plans to use it this evening as well. The lemons were juiced, the fragrant peels turned into fine zest. The old ginger was washed thoroughly, cut into large chunks, and then deliberately smashed to release its therapeutic properties…

Poor Eishi nearly jumped a good foot in the air when he turned around and promptly came face-to-face with a blanket monster standing right behind him. He let out a rather unmanly yelp, his face turning comically white…at least until he took a closer look and saw the human form huddled beneath the thick duvets. She sure was a frightening sight at the moment, hair sticking up every which way, nose red like a drunk hobo and looking just as dreadful.

"… _Please_ don't creep up on me like that."

Rindou still looked dazedly zombified from whence she had emerged from the dark cave of her bedroom. Her nose was stuffy and her sore throat hurt. She croaked piteously. "… _M'dyin_ '. Help, Tsukasa…!"

…She was _always_ dying whenever she was sick, he thought exasperatedly.

"…Technically, we're all dying a bit more every day," he told her rather unhelpfully. He didn't sidle away though, when she trudged up miserably to plant her forehead against the back of his shoulder, her breathing faintly labored from sickness. He wiped his hand dry with a dishcloth and reached over to touch her forehead. She was _warm_. Her work schedule for the last month had been intense, and had brought her to multiple countries with different sorts of extreme climates, rushing to complete filming within the allocated timespan. No wonder she had fallen sick. It was amazing enough that her body had lasted this long, switching from hot weather to cold and cold weather to hot every other day or so.

She had started to catch a flu a few days back when she was still wrapping up the last few shoots in Boracay, and all that time running about baking under the tropical sun and basted by the sea salt spray and hot summer air had only turned the mild case of cold into something more aggressively virulent, and she had come home to him late last night completely sick and wretched. Medicine and a whole day of rest in bed was starting to lower her temperature, but she was still days away from making a full recovery.

She nuzzled into his cool palm, which felt heavenly to her right now. She closed her eyes briefly, but opened them again and grumbled in protest when he took his hand away.

"I'll make you tea, so be good," he told her, just as the kettle started to whistle on the stove. She watched, dropping her chin back over his shoulder, as he dropped in the pieces of crushed ginger into kettle to let steep. While waiting, he ladled a generous amount of honey into the waiting mugs, before drizzling the lemon juice and sprinkling the zest in as well. Finally, he poured in the ginger-infused tea, slowly stirring with a teaspoon the entire while, and the steam lazily wafted upwards, spicy, tangy and honeyed, teasing her nose, the muggy warmth clearing her sinuses, if only for a bit. She pressed a bit more against his back, anticipatory.

He handed her one of the mugs, and she eagerly accepted. She blew at her tea, and then took a careful sip, exhaling through her nose as the delicate nuances of the ingredients washed over her palate in harmonious synchronicity. The robust warmth of the ginger was tempered by the citrusy tartness of the lemon juice and zest, and the lavender honey added a delicate touch of perfumed, floral sweetness…

Rindou sighed in pleasure. Tsukasa always made the BEST tea.

"You're gonna make a really good housewife," she told him, petting his arm affectionately. By now, he was resigned to her backhanded praise. Every time she fell sick, suddenly he became potential housewife material in her eyes.

A few more sips of the wonderful brew improved her mood even more. Drinking hot beverages when one was having fever might seem counterproductive, but the ingredients in the tea possessed properties that could help 'work' the illness out of one's system…or at least it was supposed to. Rindou had never really liked cold drinks too much, in the first place.

The tousled redhead wandered off to the living area, plopping onto the couch, and after cleaning up the kitchen, her boyfriend joined her. The television was muted and was playing some amusing variety show with pop idols playing silly games to entertain the laughing audience. She adhered herself to him the moment he sat down. To be more accurate, she stuck her cold feet on him and sniffled into his shoulder. _Ah_ , now she was toasty and content and slowly getting drowsy all over again. She rubbed her nose into the sleeve of his shirt, inhaling deeply.

"Don't spread your germs to me," he warned, but he also didn't pull away from her, either.

 _He's such a softie_ , she could not help but think with affectionate amusement.

"But the only way to get rid of a cold is to give it to someone else…"

"…"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

This chapter was inspired by a personal headcanon. I feel like Rindou would be the bigger baby out of the two whenever she falls sick. It's not too far of a stretch, since she's already proven to stop moving altogether whenever she gets too cold, so I was curious and really wanted to explore that side of her, especially when she's always seems so independent, haha.

I was also partially inspired by the canon scenes where Eishi always appears so accommodating whenever it comes to meeting Rindou's needs. Special mention and shoutout to my precious fellow EiRin groupies! Hey ladies, remember when we were chattering about that chapter where Rindou was demanding tea and Eishi didn't even protest her bossiness and just went and made some for her? This installment is definitely also inspired by our convos, lol!

Another example/showcase that these two are a complimentary match – one needs to be babied (at times) and the other certainly doesn't mind doing the babying, hahaha. (I kid, I _kid_!)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Ginger lemon honey tea really is a thing. It's a very good thing too and incredibly easy to make. Ginger, lemon and honey are all anti-bacterial superfoods that are good for aiding stomach ailments and nausea, as well as combating fever and colds.

Lavender honey is a thing also (though most of you probably know that already). Lavender honey harvested off the beautiful lavender fields of Sault, Provence, France? Now, that's just the stuff that sweet dreams are made of.

The title for this chapter serves as a double reference for the tea as well as EiRin as a whole. (She's sugar and spice, so I guess that makes him the nice component? Hahaha!)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Eishi is 100% housewife (or househusband) quality. He's more housewife quality than Rindou for sure, lol, though I personally don't see anything wrong with that, since Rindou seems more like the gung ho type and is probably handier to have around the house than Eishi in contrast, so they balance out. It makes sense for her to have better technical/practical know-how since she is so well travelled (and used to going off beaten paths)! A bit of a gender role reversal, but it works for this pair! (Point #2353783 that these two are such a complimentary match! Somebody needs to smack me before I become even more obnoxious lol.)

 **P.S.:** I'M _YELLING_. I wrote this chapter BEFORE the Volume 25 Special dropped! BUT THAT SAID. I am very happy with coincidence/similarity in theme! Eishi lugging the boiler (complete with boiling kettle – to make tea for Rindou possibly?) as well as preparing the heat pack on her forehead (does he always carry heat packs around for her? Hahaha) – are all so housewife-ish things to do so I was giggling so much as I browsed through the Special! SCORE!

Hey, hey! This means that the chances of this ship being canon is increasing, right?

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 18 y.o. Five years later – 23 y.o.

The first part of this chapter occurs during the Promotion Exams Arc. The second part occurs five years later.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	16. Chapter 16

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 5823

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 08/07/17

* * *

 **The Scoville Scale**

* * *

It was only the second day into this trip to Australia that Eishi was starting to realize that _perhaps_ he had made a mistake by coming out here.

It wasn't the country that the white haired male had a problem with. No, the country was beautiful and incredibly diverse, filled to the brim with many indigenous species of flora and fauna that could not be found anywhere else in the world, and therefore there were all kinds of culinary possibilities waiting to be explored.

To be more precise, the biggest issue that Eishi was having with Australia was the _weather_.

It was early February, and where most temperate countries were still enjoying the cool winter season, this oddball continent was sitting right in the midst of a sweltering summer, experiencing an unusually acrid heatwave that were rolling across the entire outback with relentless intensity. When the sun was at the highest point in the midday sky, the temperature could soar to almost _fifty_ degrees centigrade.

To say that Eishi was _not_ a fan of the local climate would be an understatement. But then again, were there any sane individuals who would enjoy this kind of weather?

"Oh geeze, Tsukasa! We just got here a day or so ago! You _cannot_ be sunburnt already!"

Splayed face down on the camping mattress in his designated tent, the First Seat of the Elite 10 barely had the energy to muster a halfhearted and incoherent mumble as his exuberant friend and traveling companion pranced in and proceeded to plop herself beside him. She also started to poke him curiously, at least until he rolled over and glowered at her. Unlike him who was all uncomfortable and flustered by the hideous temperature, his fellow Third year looked like she was thriving in this extreme environment. Her sunglasses were perched on the top of her head (probably already forgotten), she was dressed in khaki shorts and a light cotton blouse, and her safari jacket had already been tossed aside since it was dusk and the fiery sun was already on its way out, sinking into the far horizon. Crimson hair tousled, cheeks faintly flushed and golden eyes bright, she looked like a bold, windswept adventuress. She also looked like she was having a ton of fun, and he could vouch for her experience, having sat through the entire hair-raising journey all day.

"…This is the absolute last time I'm going to let you convince me to go with you on your exploration trips," he grumped. Spending his time all sweaty and sticky had not been his idea of fun at all, and thanks to his fair coloring, he also burned all too easily beneath the unforgiving _bite_ of the sun. Already, he could feel his face and the exposed parts of his neck and arms grow all prickly and hot despite the liberal amount of sunscreen which he had applied all day. He was one of those kinds of people who _never_ tanned; no, he just turned a bright, lobster red instead, and then he went all horrifically peely a couple of days later like some dehydrating octopus before reverting back to his usual pale, leucistic self. The entire process was quite disturbing and unpleasant for him, hence he usually tended to avoid getting in that position in the first place.

No helping it now, though.

Rindou smacked him rather unsympathetically on his sensitive forearm, making him _yelp_ at the sting. She snickered at his obvious suffering.

"You're like a delicate man-flower," she observed mirthfully, and his grouchiness grew at her teasing.

"…I'll tie you to a chair and make you watch me eat dinner. _Your_ dinner, specifically."

He must be feeling really crabby if he was actively threatening her food supply. His insults still kinda sucked as always, but then again, that sort of thing had never been his forte in the first place.

" _C'mon!_ I'm sorry for getting us a bit lost. But I found our way back to the campsite in the end!" She gamely tried to defend herself. He just gave her the gimlet stare for making the understatement of the year.

"A _bit_ lost? You went completely off road, nearly drove us into _two_ sinkholes and then right into a mob of kangaroos! We had a kangaroo kicking in the backseat for a while…!" Eishi had really thought that he was going to die in the passenger seat of that topless Land Rover, when Rindou abruptly swerved down the dusty dirt hill. The entire vehicle had been pitched nose down on a seventy degrees negative incline as it trundled at full speed downslope, and there were also several long, weightless moments where he was pretty sure that they were kind of _freefalling_ as well. His heart had almost dropped out of his mouth. He almost saw his entire life flash past his eyes.

Rindou _shrugged_ , vaguely chagrinned at being brought to task over her questionable driving skills.

" _Eh_. S'all good! We lived and that kangaroo's roasting over the campfire now! The guides even said that the meat's gonna taste super yummy!"

… _Of course_ it was all about food with her, wasn't it.

The poor, overwrought young man deflated with comical defeat, groaning.

"…I'm taking over the wheel tomorrow. You're _banned_ from driving from henceforth."

"Hah? But Tsukasa, you drive like a tortoise!" she protested, and his brow throbbed at her complaint.

"That's the whole point. We're supposed to travel safely and responsibly, _because_ I don't want to die here, thank you very much."

"Mou, how boring!" she pouted. "Where's your fiery sense of adventure and boiling wanderlust?"

Her attempts at cajolery fell on deaf ears, mainly because by now he had fallen for her tricks enough times to recognize the dangers.

"You may notice that I'm already _burning_ a bit too much to be entirely comfortable," he pointed out dryly.

She huffed at his words, but then she remembered something else, brightening up all over again.

"Oh yeah, speaking of which! I brought a peace offering!"

She reached over to the ground where she had placed her gift and picked it up, plopping the fat, succulent looking piece of verdant foliage on her lap. He stared. He knew what it was, of course. Any chef worth their salt would be able to identify most, if not all, common edible plants.

"Er…"

She petted the piece of leaf proudly. "This baby's gonna work better than all that funny goop that you've been spraying on yourself all day, trust me! I picked it up just for ya!"

It was the whole reason why she had gone off track to head for that waterhole earlier, actually.

Eishi watched as she pulled out a small but very sharp switchblade from a pocket and proceeded to dissect the aloe vera leaf right there and then. The thorny rinds were sliced away deftly and tossed aside; her knife work was swift and gracefully efficient as always, not a single movement wasted as she cut precisely into the leaf and peeled it apart, revealing the clear, juicy flesh within. She set the switchblade aside and stuck her fingers into the plant, extracting a generous portion of the transparent, gel-like substance within. Rindou proceeded to dab the cool, viscous fluid all over his stinging forearm.

"Feels great, doesn't it? Fresh aloe's the best thing for treating sunburns," she explained cheerily as she worked, reaching over to slather his other limb with even more aloe…also smacking his hands away when he tried to help himself. "Will you just stay put and stop being so twitchy? You're getting aloe everywhere!"

Properly chastised, he could only do as she demanded, vaguely embarrassed that his best friend was basically rubbing his arms down, and her slender fingers were sure and gentle as she spread the relieving salve over the affected areas of his limbs. She was right. It felt… _good_. As always, she was so obliviously matter-of-fact about the whole non-issue (to her) that now he was starting to feel vaguely over-sensitive for reacting so easily to her touch.

"Oh geeze, did you completely forget to put sunscreen on your face? Why are your cheeks so red!" Rindou bluntly blurted out over his splutters. So she helpfully smeared more of the moisturizing lotion all over his flustered visage, slicked palms and digits running over his aristocratic features and angular jawline, tracing his defined lips…but he was turning _even_ redder!

The young woman was personally affronted by this strange reaction – she had vouched for the effectiveness of the aloe and so there was no way she was going to be proven wrong. Her hands framed his cheeks, brought her own face close to his in a bid to figure out the cause of his weird response.

"W-What are you _doing_ ," he choked, and she finally figured out what his ruffled agitation was all about. She blinked owlishly at him.

" _Heh_? Are you _blushing_?"

"I'm _not_ blushing!"

* * *

 **Eight years later.**

They had just arrived at Nairobi after a very _long_ flight complete with a delayed transfer, and they were both really glad to finally be back on the ground. While Rindou was more the well-seasoned traveler out of the two of them, neither enjoyed staying up in the air stuck in what was more or less the equivalent of a pressurized flying tin can for longer than what was absolutely necessary. The flight had been especially strenuous for the redhead since she was sixteen weeks pregnant at the moment, and so they had been very careful to take all the necessary precautions.

...It was also Hi'en's first flight ever (outside of his mother's womb, that was)…though like the swallow that he was named after, the little one year old toddler had taken to the experience like, well, a bird to flying. The young boy had been very calm and had mostly slept his way through the entire journey, so that had been something of a relief to his parents, at least. Then again, the child had always been quite docile and hardly fussy for a baby.

Navigating the long, snaking queues at immigration took some time, but once they cleared that section and were officially on Kenyan ground, Eishi handed their drowsing son over to Rindou so that he could go and deal with the baggage claim. They were used to traveling light, but with a very small child tagging along this time, that was an impossible challenge, especially since the young father's far-thinking and careful, anticipatory nature had predicted all sorts of adverse scenarios happening away from home, and therefore he had been determined to be as prepared to encounter all of them as circumstantially possible…

Rindou just left her worrisome spouse to it, turning her attention on their child as the little one started to stir, curled up in her arms, his little fuzzy red head resting on her shoulder.

"Are you awake, En-chan?" his mother murmured by his ear, brushing an affectionate kiss over his temple as he made a little sound in response. The young boy nuzzled blindly into her neck, a sleepy grimace crossing his chubby little face, and he rested against her for a while, before slowly growing more awake, eventually raising his head to blink at his surroundings more, big, dazed golden eyes gradually sharpening. He looked very confused, much to Rindou's quiet amusement.

She plopped another kiss on her sweet baby. Hi'en was too _cute_ , as always. Partly her fault, since she especially liked to dress him up in adorable baby suits, snap many photos of him posing cluelessly in them, and then spam all the captured candid images to Eishi. Her husband had never actually complained about her enthusiastic proclivity towards showing off this perfect little being that they had made together, so she could only assume that he did not quite mind her occasional tendency to blow up his phone with Hi'en's pictures.

This time around, the littlest Tsukasa was all bundled up in a red panda-themed baby romper, complete with a fluffy hoodie in the form of a plush toy red panda head and a puffy orange and black striped tail extended from the bottom of the outfit. The hoodie had been pulled over his head to keep his face and ears warm during the flight earlier, and so he looked really adorable at the moment, an appearance that Rindou was sure the others would appreciate, later. The young redhead rubbed at his eyes endearingly, still looking quite owlish, one little arm wrapped around his mother's neck, holding himself a bit unsurely to her. His slit pupiled gaze solemnly tracked all the people busy bustling around the waiting area, starting to fret a bit when he couldn't find the one he was looking for.

"… _Pa…pa_?"

Rindou pointed the child's gaze to the direction where the baggage claim was at.

"Papa's over there, En-chan. Wanna go see?" she asked him, patiently speaking to the toddler like he fully comprehended everything that she was saying. Even if he didn't, she always communicated to him clearly…and so did Eishi, for the record. Those eyes that were so much like her own focused on her with an intelligence that sometimes made her think that he actually did understood her words, young as he was still.

Hi'en nodded subtly against her shoulder, still not knowing how to respond with the proper word yet.

So they went to look for Eishi, and he was just done stacking the last of their stuff onto the trolley just as they drew up to his side.

"Ready to go?" Rindou asked her partner, and the white haired male nodded, his lavender gaze briefly resting on Hi'en, who had started to wiggle in his mother's hold, his pudgy little arms reaching out, straining towards Eishi to be carried by his other parent instead. Rindou briefly had her hands full trying to contain the suddenly energetic child. "No, little chick. Papa's busy so you just gotta make do with Mommy instead, 'kay? Be good, I'll get you something yummy to eat."

" _Papa_ ," the baby sighed forlornly before reluctantly settling back down in his mother's arms. Rindou sighed also, as they left for the arrival hall.

"Soooo unfair that he always prefers you," she complained to Eishi. "I'm jealous! En-chan's s'posed to be a mommy's boy!"

Eishi glanced askance at her. "…Give him some time to warm up to you again. He hasn't seen much of you the last couple of weeks…"

She had been busy wrapping up filming for that documentary she had been hosting, highlighting the issue of overfishing and how climate change was directly impacting the culinary sector. That major project had only been officially wrapped up a couple of days ago, and now that she was pregnant again, she wouldn't be taking on another intensive production like that again until after the baby was born. While she had been rushing about to complete her obligations, most of the childrearing duties had been temporarily passed over to Eishi, to give her a peace of mind at work. Rindou never had to worry about her co-parent whenever it was his turn to care for their child – the man probably was even better at childcare than she was, actually…

Rindou smushed her son's chubby cheek to her own, much to the little one's startled bewilderment. She also started to smother him in smooches. He _squeaked_. "En-chan! Mommy will stay home more now so En-chan must love Mommy lots also, okay? Mommy worked really _super_ hard to give birth to En-chan, you know! Your Papa only contributed to the fun part and left Mommy to deal with all the rest of the not-so-fun bits!"

"…I did _not_ ," Eishi was quick to mutter in his own defense. Though Rindou had indeed taken one for the team and endured the birth, and she had come through really well, actually. In another few months' time, she was going to have to do so again. His wife was amazing, he could not help but think sometimes. She was incredibly independent and he usually had to muscle in and insist that she let him take care of her. He had learned to be very vigilant in order to anticipate her needs, and his drastic measures amused her, because he was _that_ determined to care for her whether she wanted it or not…

Hi'en petted his mother's pouting face with a small hand. For a baby, he was very gentle. When he gained her attention, he lurched in and smooshed his mouth clumsily against her cheek, mimicking what he had seen her do to him earlier.

Rindou lit up like the _sun_.

"Tsukasa, did you see? Did you _see_! En-chan just kissed me! He gave me his first kiss!" she was crowing gleefully, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks flushed becomingly with joy. "En-chan! You love mommy after allll~!" Poor baffled Hi'en promptly found himself buried under an avalanche of kisses from his over-exuberant mother, until the flustered child at last could not take it anymore and hid his glowing face in her neck.

"…Technically, I gave you my first kiss also. I don't recall you getting so excited," Eishi pointed out a whole five minutes later, because Rindou _still_ hadn't stopped fussing over the kiss and happily cuddling her son, who was _obviously_ starting to take more after his father in _shyness_.

"Oh, shush! You're being too conceited! You may be kinda pretty looking but only En-chan's qualified to be my perfect little man!"

"…"

* * *

The whole reason why they were in Nairobi was because it was _that_ time of the year again.

That unavoidable time of the year where stressful shenanigans abound, where a special breed of individuals would gather together, where poor Eishi would be inundated by so much _red_ in his vision (and often also right in his face) that he would be seeing that color even in his dreams for weeks to come. Red was usually amongst some of his favorite hues (especially the shade of Rindou's beautiful hair), but it was also because of this yearly event that he had quickly learned that there really was such a problem as 'too much of a good thing.'

It was the annual Kobayashi family gathering.

It was not exactly a big surprise that Rindou had come from a large, hectic family. She was the youngest out of five children, and the _only_ daughter too, to boot. To say that the Kobayashi especially loved and cherished this precocious, precious pearl of theirs would be an understatement…though the only problem was out of the entire family, only she was based in Japan at the moment. All the others were usually scattered all over the world, and it was only every once a year that they would get to meet at an agreed upon location just to physically see each other and enjoy their close familial bonds.

Last year, the family gathering had been held in Japan because Rindou had just given birth and everyone had wanted to see the newest edition to the family – Eishi had been _so_ stressed out.

It was a good thing that he still maintained close affiliations to Tootsuki Resort and the other hoteliers in the industry, even when he was no longer working for the mega resort chain. It enabled him to pull strings and procure the best accommodations for the in-laws, ensuring that they were all happy and well taken care of. It hadn't been just Rindou's parents whom he had to worry about – all her brothers (and their families) had visited too, so on top of caring for Rindou and learning to fulfill the demanding needs of a newborn son, the poor white haired man also had well-meaning relatives swimming up to his ears and each and every one of them had been as strange as his quirky wife, if not even more. At the end of their one week stay, Eishi had never been so relieved to see the entire lot of them off at the airport.

As such, for this year, even though it was problematic and tiring having to fly out all the way to South Africa for the annual gathering, Eishi was happy that they hadn't decided to hold it in Japan again. With luck, it would be another half a decade or so before it would be their turn to host the gathering once more. That was not to imply that Eishi disliked his in-laws. He liked them well enough…but they were just _overwhelming_ when he had to deal with all of them en masse.

Hi'en seemed to feel the same way too, judging by the toddler's shell shocked demeanor when all that wave of red descended upon him the moment they arrived on the property.

" _Oh my._ En-chan! You're so big now! Come, let grandma take a good look at you!" Kobayashi Ayame fluttered in happily and gave her grandson (and son-in-law) a hug before she expertly stole the tiny little redhead away. Eishi really did not want to relinquish his son, though not because he did not trust the little boy with his maternal grandmother. No, his reason had been more self-centered in nature, actually-

The dark-haired and petite Kobayashi matriarch petted her son-in-law on the arm, and then she leaned in to plant a warm, familial kiss on the younger man's cheek. "Good to see you too, Eishi," she murmured fondly, before the other women and children flooded in and started to coo over and crowd around the youngest (and somewhat alarmed) Tsukasa. And then Eishi did not have the luxury of paying attention to what was going on with Hi'en anymore, as his father-in-law strolled up and slapped him heartily across the back, nearly propelling him a few steps forward with his great strength, as _always_.

"Eishi! Long time no see! How have you been doin', son? Fatherhood been fun so far?"

Before the white haired man could muster a reply, he was promptly enfolded in yet another hug, only that this one packed enough force to make his ribs _creak_. _Oh, gods_. This was what he had been hoping to avoid but with no En acting as his shield, his chances of squeaking under the radar was nil. Eishi tried his best not to deflate like a floppy balloon by the time he was firmly set back on his feet. He coughed/wheezed a bit, and the Kobayashi patriarch beamed at him.

Kobayashi Yuudai was a large and tall bear of a man, with a head of flaming red hair, a barrel chest, and a loud booming voice. He was very…different in temperament compared to the average, mild mannered Japanese family man. If anything, he was always boiling hot and stuffed chock full with fighting spirit…which really explained why he was so good at what he did.

The Kobayashi patriarch and matriarch were wildlife conservationists both by passion _and_ by profession. They had spent the majority of their lives advocating and actively protecting the threatened and endangered animal species in the wild as well as their disappearing habitats, and over the years, they had travelled and lived in just about every corner of the world, working in concert with many others like themselves to manage and save the living treasures in their declining planet. This time around, they were currently based in Kenya for an operation to mediate and set up feasible boundaries between the unhappy locals and the migrating African elephant herds that often wandered through their farmlands…or so Rindou had mentioned once in passing the last time.

The Kobayashi parents were a very laidback, informal couple, but Eishi still bowed dutifully to his father-in-law all the same, paying obeisance to the man who had sired and raised his wife.

"I'm doing well, Otou-san. Otou-san is in excellent health and spirits also, I hope," he responded formally, very politely, too well trained by years of etiquette lessons to abandon any of that decorum and mannerly reserve now, even when he had already been told numerous times not to stand on ceremony here, amongst _family_. The younger man also paused to carefully consider Yuudai's queries, mainly because when the man asked questions, he wasn't asking just for the sake of being generally polite, but because he actually desired to understand Eishi's thoughts and feelings…a notion which still astounded the younger man sometimes, mainly because Kobayashi Yuudai was such a different type of parent from his own.

…So Eishi tried his best to be truthful, out of respect, and also because he _really_ did not want to earn another encouraging backslap that had enough force to propel him into a faceplant on the ground, as past experiences had adequately demonstrated…

"Er, fatherhood has been…interesting so far. There are many ups and downs, but Rindou and I are really happy to have Hi'en."

"Good! Children really are the best, aren't they?" Yuudai beamed with genuine delight and he petted Eishi on the shoulder like a proud parent. "I sure am in great health and spirits lately! I don't think that Ayame's ever gonna let me die of anything but old age, haha!"

"Pa!"

Yuudai's expression lit up as Rindou trotted up then. He immediately spread his arms open, a loud, joyous hoot escaping him.

"Rindou! C'mere and hug your old man!"

The younger redhead was all too happy to walk right into those strong arms that were thick like tree trunks and just as sturdy. Yuudai embraced his daughter tightly as well, but unlike Eishi who just sort of hung there limply in nonplussed shock, Rindou hugged her father back with all the affectionate strength she could muster, her expression bright as she grinned boisterously back at her male parent. Even when scattered and living apart, the entire family was still very rambunctious, tactile, and affectionate. This was hardly the first time Eishi was being exposed to that warm, generous nature of the Kobayashi clan, though he still could not help but feel a bit out of place...but they still accepted him and drew him into the warm bosom of their family, anyway.

While the father and daughter pair were loudly having their reunion, the brothers came up too to greet the newcomers.

Tenko was the firstborn of the Kobayashi brood, and at thirty four, he was also Rindou's favorite brother, mainly because growing up, the quiet man had been known to spoil his baby sister thoroughly. The man was a wildlife veterinarian by profession, and he was affiliated to the World Wildlife Fund, currently involved in their Tiger project in the Eastern Himalayas. He was also happily married – all the Kobayashi children were actually, with Rindou being the last – and for someone who was accustomed to running amok out in the field actively engaging dangerous and armed illegal poachers to gunfights whenever he had to, he was otherwise gentle and mild-mannered, and was probably Eishi's favorite brother-in-law as well, mainly because he was the…least excitable out of the entire family.

"Eishi. How have you been? I was looking forward to seeing you and Rindou after so long. I read the news that _Chateau_ made this year's Michelin three star list again. Congrats."

" _Bro_. You look kind of whiter than usual. Long trip, huh? Tell me about it. I just got in myself early this morning. The flight out from Quebec was just one long, never-ending bumpy ride the whole way through. The kids would not settle down and the wife and I were ready to punt the noisy brats out the cabin not even two hours in."

Thirty two year old Shishi was the laidback one. He was a marine biologist by qualification, and had chosen to further concentrate his field of study in cetaceans. He was usually quite chill and low pressure _until_ the subject of his beloved whales was brought up, and then his Kobayashi blood would burn red hot. He was also very scathingly vocal against whaling practices and shark finning, as Eishi has had the misfortune to discover during a conversation which had practically devolved into a passionate, one and a half hour long speech against those sorts of activities, and it was very hard not to feel indignant and want to take up the cause as well when the older man could eloquently support his ranting with cold hard facts and statistics…which he apparently carried around with him everywhere, just for that sort of occasion. It was just as well that French cooking had no use for those kinds of exotic ingredients, or Eishi had the feeling that he might get killed.

The entire family was like that, actually. Passionately, fiercely righteous when it came to defending what they believed in, which really explained why Rindou was no different.

"Hey, Eishi, d'ya know if Rindou has been invited to this year's Explorers Festival? I've already been asked by the organizers to RSVP, but if you and baby sis are going, I'd request to be put together with you two and Rai for the gala dinner, since he has received an invitation too to go up to make a presentation."

Brother number three was Kirin. He was thirty this year, tall, lanky, and sharing the same sharp, angular features and slit golden eyes as Rindou. He was a wildlife photographer and cinematographer, and already he had won several related awards and accolades for his outstanding and daring filmographies. Kirin worked for the National Geographic, and quite often, his photos could be seen published on the magazine subscriptions, and whenever that happened, the Kobayashi matriarch would make sure that everyone in the family would be in the know. Like his youngest sibling, he travelled often for work as well, and whereas she was always on the hunt for the next delicious local bite to sink her teeth into, he was looking for the next prizewinning shot to add to his growing album of achievements.

"Tch. I still can't figure why that the invite list has Rindou slated for an appearance. What's she s'posed to do? Eat her way to prominence?"

Raiju was the last brother. At twenty eight, he was only two years older than both Rindou and Eishi, and therefore the one nearest in age. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the brother and sister pair were playmates growing up; they fought each other the most…but they were also the closest. A redhead like all the others, the good looking man was sharp eyed and possessed an easy smirk. A conservation scientist, he was the only one out of all the children who had chosen to follow in their parents' footsteps, though his projects had more focus in the South Americas at the moment and he was working for an eco-philanthropist on sustainable energy sources and achieving better air and water quality for the region.

"Oyy, who are you calling names again, you stupid-" Rindou pounced agilely on her taller sibling and proceeded to get him in a headlock, trying to make him cry uncle even as she knuckled his scalp. The younger two siblings were used to roughhousing with each other, and despite being adults (and also parents), easily fell back to their old, tussling ways. The older Kobayashi twisted free and then heaved his shrieking sister over his shoulder, disorienting her with a quick, wild spin and a victorious cackle. He also looked like he was going to drop her on her head…but then her alarmed husband stepped in, easily plucking her off and into his arms.

"…Please don't do that, Raiju nii-san," he interrupted, but the brothers all knew how protective their baby sister's spouse was of her. The man had always been that way for as long as they were aware of him…even before he started going out with Rindou, actually. His willingness and readiness to defend their boisterous youngest sibling was probably part of the reason why they had approved of him so easily in the first place. Anyone who had eyes would be able to easily see just how much Tsukasa Eishi cared for Kobayashi Rindou.

"Eishi, I know she looks like that, but this kid's really hardy, ya know?" Raiju drawled with amusement, even as he watched Eishi set his wife back down.

"Er, yes. You're not wrong…but Rindou's a bit delicate right now…" the white haired chef carefully uttered, even as he steadied his slightly dizzy spouse.

"I'll _puke_ on you, brother. Don't think I won't," Rindou threatened in bluster, and the entire family did a surprised double take at his implication.

"Delicate?" Ayame repeated, still bouncing her littlest grandson on her knee, while her husband was making comically scary expressions at the fascinated child, who looked like he didn't quite know what to make of his grandpa and all the strange people he was seeing so far. His grandma started to light up with realization. "Rindou, are you pregnant again?"

Rindou nodded, the vertigo fading away soon enough. No harm, no foul. She smiled brilliantly. "Yep. Sixteen weeks and counting! We just found out a month ago!"

Raiju's wife went over to smack the man for tossing around an expecting woman. "Ow! I did not know that she's preggo! How would I know that they're so prolific? They just had Hi'en last year!"

"Baby's a happy surprise!" Rindou quipped, even as her mother came up to fuss over her and demand to know if she was taking good care of herself, and the army of sisters-in-law followed as well. Yuudai trailed the gaggle of women contently, a huge grin on his face and his large hands securely holding Hi'en, the little boy who seemed to slowly be accepting the fact that these people were going to be around him from now on for good and for bad. He relaxed into his grandpa's carry, leaning his red head onto the big man's strong shoulder and watched the ensuing chaos with wary interest.

And Eishi, well, he received more congratulatory backslaps than he was ever prepared to receive, and each of these tall, strong redheads gave as good as they got. Next time, _if_ they were ever going to have to make another announcement like this again, the white haired man resolved that they would do it remotely, preferably a few thousand miles and entire continents away.

"Congrats, Eishi," Tenko remarked with good humor, visibly amused by the younger man's somewhat stressed out expression. "Here's to many future sleepless nights-"

"-midnight cravings- Kirin joined in.

"-hormonal mood swings-" Shishi helpfully added.

"-the sex's gonna be smashing, though," Raiju concluded, and the brothers all groaned. Eishi was starting to look like he wanted nothing more than to get as far away from this conversation as physically possible, but the (his) brothers had him neatly trapped.

And they were only _five_ minutes into this reunion.

"What? Pa always said to look for the silver lining in every situation!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

So, this chapter can be considered something of a companion piece to last chapter's ' **Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice.** ' You may notice that the current/time skip format is similar, and there's also the contrast of Rindou getting a cold vs. Eishi getting a sunburn, hahaha. This instalment was also derived by yet another personal headcanon of mine; that Eishi burns really easily. I don't think that'd be too much of a stretch, though. Just look at the boy's fair complexion!

One of my fellow EiRin supporters also shared an interesting observation that in contrast to canon!Rindou who's always wearing long sleeves and deathly afraid of the cold, canon!Eishi is always rolling up his sleeves and leaving his tie loosened and collar undone, so perhaps this implies that he has a high core body temperature! Shoutout to owo; headcanon accepted! If one cannot take the cold, then perhaps the other cannot take the heat, maybe? XD

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The title for this chapter ' **The Scoville Scale** ' refers to the measurement of the pungency (spicy heat) of chili peppers. I chose the title because the side themes for the mini-drabbles in this update all share the same color: RED.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The legal age for driving in Japan _and_ Australia is 18.

So yes, Eishi and Rindou has their driving licenses (although Eishi always wonders how Rindou manages to earn hers because she drives like a bat out of hell, haha).

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Kangaroo is actually quite yummy. It is a common and widely available bushmeat in Australia and it tastes like venison so I kind of like it! Would be interesting to see how Eishi could incorporate it into French cooking because of the close resemblance of taste and texture to deer, actually.

It is also a means of population control in Australia because the kangaroo population is currently estimated to be around 35 to 50 million, so that's _a lot_ of kangaroos to go around. There are more kangaroos than people in that country actually, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The Kobayashi family has been bugging me to write them for a long time already, so I finally gave in and dedicated a chapter to them.

Even before the revelation of Rindou's adventuring ways was revealed in canon, I've always envisioned her coming from a huge, boisterous safari-esque family, and that her appetite and fascination for exploring region-specific exotic ingredients is partly due to her upbringing and exposure to many different places and countries since at a very young age. I was _very_ happy with the knowledge that canon!Rindou would care enough to make sure that the wild things she caught during her explorations would not adversely impact the ecosystem before she went ahead to cook and eat them, because it really went well with my personal headcanon of her family's love and respect for nature and the environment.

Food and nature goes hand in hand, after all! If you want to continue to eat good food, you must always make sure to care and protect nature!

Ah, I also envision Rindou as the baby of the family, mainly because her character goes very much in line with the youngest child syndrome; i.e. quirky, highly social, confident, creative, good at problem solving, adept at getting others to do things for them, etc. Part of the reason _why_ Rindou cares so much about all her kouhai is because she never really has an opportunity to be the 'big sister' in her family, haha, so she really loves to take on the role whenever she has the opportunity to do so!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Like Rindou, the names of the Kobayashi brothers are derived from Japanese mythological creatures (because Kobayashi!Papa and Kobayashi!Mama really love their wild animals lol):

 **Tenko** (Japanese: 天狐) are a type of divine beast. After reaching 1,000 years of age and gaining its ninth tail, a kitsune (fox) turns a golden color, becoming a 'Tenko' (天狐 "heavenly fox"/"celestial fox"), the most powerful form of the kitsune, and then ascends to the heavens.

 **Shishi** (Japanese獅子·師子) are imperial guardian lions, also known as komainu (狛犬). They are lion-like creatures that guard the entrance or the inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines.

 **Kirin** (Japanese: 麒麟) is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures, said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. It is a good omen thought to occasion prosperity or serenity. It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body.

 **Raiju** (Japanese: 雷獣, lit. "thunder animal" or "thunder beast") is a legendary creature from Japanese mythology. Its body is composed of lightning and the form of a white and blue wolf or dog (or even a wolf or dog wrapped in lightning) is the most common. It may also fly about as a ball of lightning (in fact, the creature may be an attempt to explain the phenomenon of lightning, such as Ball lightning). Its cry sounds like thunder.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 18 y.o. Eight years later – 26 y.o.

The first part of this chapter occurs during the beginning of their senior year in Tootsuki. The second part occurs eight years later.

 _ **Hi'en's age in second part:**_ 1(-ish) y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least! Major shoutout to the wonderful anon who has _always_ left me the most entertaining commentaries every chapter! _Gah_! I've been trying to figure a way to reach out to you (or at least reply to your reviews properly) but I think this is the only means for now so here goes:

Thanks for your amusing remarks and constant support of this series so far! I just want to let you know that I've enjoyed reading your spirited and candid reviews _so much_ that they've become something I always look forward to after I put up every chapter of Peerless! (That probably sounds weird but it's true, ahaha.) It's such a great feeling to connect with a fellow EiRin fan and you're gushing over all the things that I love about this ship too so it just makes me very happy to know that I'm not the only one drowning in these feels! XD

With regards to your latest review. I concur. Actually, I was pondering the exact same thing when I was writing for this pair - they are such opposite, contrasting characters but somehow they really do fit so well together regardless, and with very little friction too! I honestly feel that their lowkey compatibility and rapport is something very rare in ships (or maybe it's just me who has always supported problematic/quarrelsome pairs in the past and is now completely amazed that such easygoing affection and harmony can exist between such different characters. xD)

 **tl;dr:** Anon, thank you for existing and yelling at me through the interweb all this time. I swear I have been gleefully receiving all the EiRin signals that you've been transmitting (and smiling like a loon the entire while) and I would like to yell back at you more also!

Feel free to drop me a PM, or if you prefer to maintain your anonymity, then that's fine too! If you wish, you can also hop on over to AO3 (Peerless is on there also) but at least I can properly reply to you in the comment fields even as you keep your anonymity. :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 2228

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 08/07/17

* * *

 **The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl**

* * *

 **Meeting across the Milky Way**

Through the varying shapes of the delicate clouds,  
the sad message of the shooting stars,  
a silent journey across the Milky Way,  
one meeting of the Cowherd and Weaver amidst the golden autumn wind and jade-glistening dew,  
eclipses the countless meetings in the mundane world.

The feelings soft as water,  
the ecstatic moment unreal as a dream,  
how can one have the heart to go back on the bridge made of magpies?

If the two hearts are united forever,  
why do the two persons need to stay together—day after day, night after night?

\- Translated poem by Qin Guan (1049-1100), era: the Song Dynasty

* * *

"Chou-chan, if you keep squirming like that, mommy will not be able to do a proper fitting for your yukata," Rindou warned. "Do you wanna go to the Tanabata matsuri tomorrow or not?"

They were in the living room, and the older redhead was trying to get her daughter's measurements to give to the tailor so that the man could alter the little girl's summer yukata accordingly. The thing about young children was how fast they grew, and compared to a few short months' ago, the little white haired child had obviously became taller, her limbs lengthening and her delicate form growing sturdier day by day as she made the inevitable transition from preschooler to grade schooler. Her littlest baby was growing up _too_ quickly, Rindou could not help but muse.

"Chouko wanna go! But mommyyyy," the five year old complained, still fidgeting and shifting her weight antsily from one foot to the other. "S'boring standing around with nothing to do! Are we _still_ not done yet?"

"We're almost there. You just need to stay still for another five minutes," Rindou bargained, juggling the tailor's tape and pencil to write down the measurements with.

Judging by the ensuing gasp that came out of the little girl's mouth, one would think that she had just been told to keep still for five more _hours_.

"Five _minutes_?!" she exclaimed in comical horror. "Mommy, that's lonnnnggg! That's one, two, three, four, _five_ _whole_ rounds the long, _long_ arm on the clock has to go tick tock, tick tock! Chouko cannot hold her breath for five circles of tick tocking! Chouko will grow angel wings and float to heaven!"

"Float to heaven – _pffft_ -" Rindou had to pause what she was doing in order to bite back her laughter. Her shoulders shook, and her eyes gleamed with her valiant effort not to hurt her child's tender feelings. "N-No, Chouko. _Ahaha_ , you just need to keep as still as you can, not stop breathing altogether, okay? No one is floating anywhere, I promise. Your nii-chan had his measurements taken too, remember? He's still here."

"That's 'coz nii-chan's different. Nii-chan 'ways sleeps through _everythin'_."

The dusty red head of her son stirred on the couch where he had been docilely sitting, watching the television. "…I don't sleep through _everything_ ," the seven year old countered quietly. His little sister stuck her tongue out at him.

"Alright, alright," Rindou placated before the two could start to squabble. Somebody always ended up crying in the end, usually Chouko, and she wasn't nearly as good as Eishi at pacifying the kids. "Why don't I tell you a story to make time go faster, how 'bout it?"

The children perked up in interest, and pleased that she now had their attention, Rindou continued. "So, Tanabata is tomorrow, right? Do you know _why_ we celebrate Tanabata? There's a special story behind it, ya know."

Chouko shook her head, her pretty lavender eyes growing huge with anticipation. She loved stories! She also finally grew still enough for her mother to work quickly on gathering her measurements. "Nooo! I dunno! Tell me, mommy!"

Hi'en, on the other hand, huffed quietly. He was all grown up and wise (for a seven year old) and thus was not so easily excitable anymore. "Sensei told us the story already at school. S'bout the stars Vega and Altair."

But Rindou was not fazed by her son's lackluster disinterest. Her golden eyes glittered with mischief. " _Oho_? Your sensei may have told you a version of the story for sure," she agreed easily enough. " _But_ have you heard the super secret special edition? Bet your sensei only told you the boring one…~"

Chouko glowered at her brother. "Nii-chan no bakaaaa! I wanna hear!" she cried, her cute little pointy fangs poking out over her lower lip in frustration, only to let out a startled _yip_ when her mother flicked her lightly on the nose. She slapped her hands over her stinging appendage, chastised.

"Chou-chan, _bad_."

The little girl child puffed out her cheeks, struggling not to sulk at the faint reprimand. "…S-Sorry, nii-chan. But I really wanna hear the story, kaa-chan! Pleaseeee?"

Hi'en climbed off the couch and went to sit beside his baby sister, his previously sleepy countenance clearing away to be replaced by alert attentiveness.

"I wanna hear your story too, kaa-chan. The super secret special edition."

Rindou beamed. "Alrighty."

She continued to speak even as she drew the tailor's tape along specific parts of Chouko's body.

"So, like En-chan said, Tanabata, or the Star Festival, is a celebration to commemorate the two constellations in our skies, the lover stars Vega and Altair. Sadly, these two stars are separated by the Milky Way galaxy, and so the tale of Tanabata celebrates their story."

Rindou could see that all this talk about stars was confusing Chouko something fierce, so she ruffled her daughter's hair and moved onto the legend proper.

"Once upon a time, there lived up in the skies the Weaving Princess Orihime, who wove the _most_ beautiful clothes in all of the celestial realm by the banks of the Heavenly River Amanogawa. Her father, the Sky King, loved the cloth she wove so much and hence Orihime worked really hard every day to make them. But one day, because she was working so hard, she got very hungry! So, she decided to take a break to look for something to eat instead. But Princess Orihime looked and she _looked_ , however there was nothing delicious to be found! Oh no!"

Chouko could commiserate with a rumbly tumbly. Her mouth fell open in dismay. " _Nothing_ delicious?!"

"What happened next?" Hi'en asked, brow furrowing. This was definitely not the same version that his teacher had told the class!

Smiling mysteriously, Rindou proceeded with her narration.

"Just as Princess Orihime was about to give up in despair, she finally smelled something delicious! Her stomach rumbled in an un-princess-like manner, but Princess Orihime _knew_ that she must track down this yummy smell no matter what! So, the princess followed her nose…which led her across the river…to where there were a huge herd of cows! She also found a man there…and on closer inspection, he was making… _gyudon_!"

"Gyudon!" Chouko cheered, raising her hands in _banzai_. "Love live gyudon! Yummy, yummy gyudon!"

Rindou beamed at her daughter's excitement. Yep, that's her kid, alright.

"It was love at first sight! Princess Orihime had never seen such delicious, glistening beef before, sliced thinly, marbled with fragrant fat and the meat so very tender, generously heaped on top of a bowl of the softest, whitest, fluffiest rice, with strips of chunky sliced onions simmered in sweet sauce! She absolutely _must_ have some!"

Rindou's mouth was watering as well at her own descriptions, and so did the children's, actually.

Chouko swallowed. "D-Did Princess Orihime get her gyudon?"

Rindou nodded. "Oh, you betcha! Princess Orihime marched right up to the man, asked for his name, and then she told him, 'Share your gyudon with me and I shall marry you!'"

The children's eyes widened. They had not known that delicious food could be bartered for with marriage! What a great idea! "And what did the man say?"

"The man identified himself as the Cowherd Hikoboshi, and he said, '…That's not necessary, Princess Orihime. I'll share my meal with you but you don't have to marry me.' As promised, he generously gave the Princess some of the food he made, and Princess Orihime tucked into the yummiest meal she has ever had! Seriously, it was so delicious that she cried sadly when the meal was over! So, after that, she made her resolve, turned to Hikoboshi and told him, 'I've fallen in love with you! Marry me and cook gyudon for me for the rest of your life!'"

The children _awh_ -ed. They certainly could understand the logic of couples coming together for good food! It was certainly a lot more believable than just wanting to hold hands and make stupid kissy faces as each other!

"Did Hikoboshi say yes? He said yes, right, _right_?"

The beautiful redhead grinned and nodded, deepening her voice once more to portray the male character. "Hikoboshi nodded and replied, 'It can't be helped, then. I shall take responsibility and marry you. I'll feed you and care for you for the rest of my life.'"

"Hikoboshi sounds so cool," Hi'en interjected, and Rindou tweaked his nose playfully. Her son wrinkled the appendage at her, which made her snicker.

"Hikoboshi is a cool guy, isn't he? But I'll let you two in on a secret! Truth is, Hikoboshi has loved Princess Orihime for a long, long time already! Ya see, Hikoboshi has always watched Princess Orihime weaving her cloths from across the river, and she always worked so hard and he was touched by her deep love for her work and her father. Hikoboshi was really, really happy to marry Princess Orihime!"

Chouko cheered! "And they lived happily ever after!"

"Uh, no. Not exactly…" Rindou stalled when her daughter's animated face fell. Hi'en had more or less been told this part of the story already, so he wasn't as surprised by the outcome. He still looked troubled, though.

"No?! Why not?!" Chouko cried, growing upset.

"Well, you see. Hikoboshi and Orihime were so happy together, right? They were in love and everyday was full of brightness and laughter and being with each other…so they forgot to do the work that they had to do! Princess Orihime stopped weaving her beautiful cloths, and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven! As a result, Princess Orihime's father, the Sky King, was very, very angry! So, he separated the lovers across the Heavenly River and forbade them to meet ever again!"

"NOOO!" Chouko looked like she wanted to cry in distress. Her huge lavender eyes started to glimmer with sadness, so Rindou hurried on with the rest of the story before her emotional child broke down in tears. Chouko was always so sensitive to the people around her, Rindou thought affectionately.

"Poor Princess Orihime was really sad and heartbroken too. She could not see her husband again and it felt like her heart would never be whole once more. So, she begged her father to let them meet again. The Sky King was still angry, but he was also moved by his daughter's tears. In the end, he promised to let the star crossed lovers meet just once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th month…but only if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving first."

Her daughter still did not look very happy, though. "Only once a year?!"

"Mm-hm." Rindou gently fingered her daughter's silken white hair, so soft and shiny like her father's. "It might seem like a very short time, but if their hearts remain true and united, maybe that's just enough, don't you think?"

Her daughter did not look like she fully understood what she was trying to say. Neither did her son, for that matter.

"But if it rains on the day of Tanabata, the bridge of magpies cannot form, and they cannot meet, right?" Hi'en pointed out. Rindou nodded again.

"Ah, yes. Whenever it rains on Tanabata, the bridge will not form across the river, so Hikoboshi and Orihime will have to wait another year before they can reunite."

" _Ehhhh_?!" Chouko exclaimed, her huge lavender eyes starting to grow watery again. She sniffled. "I don't want it to rain on Tanabata _ever_! It must always be sunny, so that Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet over the magpie bridge!"

"…Then do you want to try making some teru teru bozu to wish for good weather for them?" Eishi's voice quietly suggested from the doorway, and the three heads turned to him, having not realized that he had just arrived home.

"Tou-chan!" Hi'en called out.

"Papa!" Chouko's downtrodden expression also brightened with hope at the welcome sight of her male parent. "Do you think that'd really work?"

"I think kami-sama will listen if you wish wholeheartedly for other people's happiness," he carefully responded, and encouraged, the two children turned to each other and started plotting for their little project.

"Okay, I'm done taking your measurements also, Chou-chan. See? You managed to stay still for more than five minutes! Good job, kiddo!" Rindou praised and released her daughter. "Lemme know if you two need any help~"

"…Gyudon. Really?" Eishi asked in deadpan as the kids scampered off to gather the materials to make the weather dolls to pray for sunny skies tomorrow. Rindou grinned unrepentantly at her husband as he padded into the living room, just as she stood up and turned to him.

"Okaeri~" she greeted him, sing-songy, her slit golden gaze glowing with amusement. "Hey, it's my story, and I get to make use of this nifty thing called 'creative licensing.' How long have you been eavesdropping, anyway?"

"Tadaima," he responded readily in return. "I heard the whole thing from beginning to end."

"Don't knock the power of food in love stories, okay. You totally seduced me with your delicious cooking also, you know, and look where we are now."

Well, when she said it like that, he really couldn't refute her claim at all, could he?

"Tsukasa?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Yes?"

"Make us gyudon for dinner, pretty please~?"

"…Why did I _know_ you were going to ask that…"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

To be honest, this was actually what I wanted to write AND post on 07/07, but my muse was all NO. SIT YOUR ASS DOWN AND WRITE THE KOBAYASHI FAMILY, so I couldn't even concentrate on starting this chapter until after I posted the previous one. It's a bit late for my Tanabata submission now, but better just a bit late than never, right?

Also, I'm not quite sure about the plot for this one because it was just a random scene that popped in my mind, hahaha. I also wrote it within a couple of hours so apologies if it comes across wonky or something!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

So. TANABATA.

For those not in the know, Tanabata (七夕, meaning "Evening of the seventh"), also known as the Star Festival, is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The date of Tanabata varies by region of the country, but the first festivities begin on 7 July of the Gregorian calendar. The celebration is held at various days between July and August.

 **Side note:** Actually, the original Tanabata date is based on the Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is about a month behind the Gregorian calendar. So, the _real_ Tanabata date this year falls on August 28th…which means that technically, I'm not late for my Tanabata submission after all, if you're referring to the traditional lunisolar calendar, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The story that Rindou told of Orihime and Hikoboshi has been somewhat edited and embellished to make it interesting for the kiddos, lol.

The actual story goes like this (as referenced from Wikipedia):

Orihime (織姫 Weaving Princess), daughter of the Tentei (天帝 Sky King, or the universe itself), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (天の川 Milky Way, lit. "heavenly river"). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星 Cowman/Cowherd Star, or literally Boy Star) (also referred to as Kengyuu (牽牛)) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. Tentei was moved by his daughter's tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if she worked hard and finished her weaving. The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river. It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The Chinese version that the Japanese version had been derived from is actually even more elaborate and meaningful. The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl is considered one of the four greatest ancient love stories in China, and it's also one of my favorite tales, so do bear with me while I share my ramblings, lol.

Qixi is a Chinese festival celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh moon. It is sometimes called the Magpie Festival and is considered to be the Chinese Valentine's Day. On this day, couples might go out for a romantic meal, exchange gifts or take a stroll along the promenade and gaze upwards to see the star-crossed lovers, Niulang (牛郎) and Zhinu（織女）in the heavens. Young girls make offerings and prayers to the celestials to ask that they be good at needlework, and that they will find a good and loving husband.

The tale of The Weaver Girl (Vega) and the Cowherd (Altair, part of the Aquila constellation) is a romantic tragedy between Niulang, a lowly cowherd, and Zhinu, a heavenly weaver girl. On a clear night, you can still see the lovers in the sky, separated by the huge expanse of the Milky Way.

The daughter of a Goddess, Zhinu was a skilled weaver and she lived in the heavens with her sisters. Tired of her duties of weaving beautiful colored clouds, Zhinu ran away only to meet a handsome young cowherd, Niulang. The two fell deeply in love, and got married in secret. The lovers lived a happy life and had two children together, a boy and a girl.

When the Goddess found out, she was very angry, for faeries were forbidden to marry mortals. The goddess ordered that Zhinu be brought back to heaven so that she may return to her duties, which she had neglected while she was on Earth.

The cowherd was distraught at the loss of his wife, and took their two children to search for her in the heavens. The Goddess, seeing this, grew angry, and pulled the hairpin out of her hair and scratched a great river in the sky to separate the two lovers, thus forming the Milky Way. The children cried, the mother cried, and the husband cried.

Zhinu sits eternally on one side of the great river, weeping while she weaves clouds on her loom. Niulang, with their two children (Altair's flanking stars β and γ Aquilae) gazes with deep sadness at his love from across the great expanse. The lovers must sit on each side of the Milky Way, never to be together again, except once a year, when all the magpies in the world take pity and fly up to heaven to become a bridge to allow the two lovers to reunite, on the seventh day of the seventh moon (Qixi).

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

A teru teru bōzu (Japanese: てるてる坊主, lit. "shine shine monk") is a small traditional handmade doll made of white paper or cloth that Japanese farmers began hanging outside of their window by a string. This talisman is supposed to have magical powers to bring good weather and to stop or prevent a rainy day, hence why the kiddos are so determined to make some to send good wishes to the skies, asking for sunny weather for Tanabata!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 ** _Main leads' ages in this chapter:_** 32 y.o.

 ** _Hi'en's age:_** 7 y.o.

 ** _Chouko's age:_** 5 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Alright, so nowadays, I'm trying to make an effort to respond to all the comments that I get for Peerless as best as I can. For those of you who reviewed with logged in accounts, I will be replying privately via PMs. For the dear anons, I will start the practice of reserving the last section of every chapter for anon responses:

 **Sammie (Jul 18):** Eishi definitely needs more familial love, lol. He still feels kind of lost at times and sticks out like an awkward penguin amongst that whole sea of redheaded Kobayashi, but the idea of him feeling overwhelmed by a large family of Rindou-like individuals is too lovely an idea to leave unexplored! Glad you enjoyed the update; I had a lot of fun creating Rindou's parents and brothers too! Thanks for supporting this fic as always! :)

 **Guest (Jul 19):** Hi, Nonnie- Can I call you Nonnie? You seem like a Nonnie to me, but let me know if you wish to be referred to otherwise! XD

It takes a special kind of person to drive slow-burnish!characters like Eishi completely up the wall, and whaddya know, our Rindou is just the right person for the job! Truth be told, I don't know how Eishi always puts up with Rindou so patiently – if it were me I'd be very irritated being bossed around all the time! Of course, conversely, one can also wonder how Rindou stands to put up with Eishi's panic prone, OCD and pessimistic nature. These two really get along very well even though they are so different in character, and I guess that's probably one of the largest reasons why I'm so enamored with this ship. (That and the fanbabies. This is definitely one of those pairs that will make the cutest babies no matter what kind of genetic combination you go with, amirite? lmao!)

I had a great time thinking up and conceptualizing the Kobayashi clan. Rindou always gave me the impression of coming from a large and boisterous family, and she's also such a tomboy and bossy that it's not hard to picture her being the only daughter amongst a brood of older brothers. She has also always given me the wild/exotic!vibe, so I've always imagined her coming from a family of adventurists who are used to globetrotting and making their own ways off the paths least travelled! I was really, really happy when my headcanon seemed to go in line with what we eventually learned about Rindou in the recent chapters. Shokugeki no Souma is such an insular series in that just about everyone in the storyline has something to do with food or cooking or hospitality - nothing wrong with that at all, since this is a niche manga focusing on that particular industry after all, but I thought I wanted to do something different for the entire Kobayashi clan. This goes hand in hand with (my headcanon of) the small but elite Tsukasa family, who also does not have a history of being in the F&B business. But even though Eishi and Rindou are both from the 'outside' world, so as to speak, they still climbed to the top of Tootsuki on their own individual merit because of their deep passion and love for food and cooking, different upbringing, family backgrounds and all. I like playing with all these little contrasts, mainly since for some reason, they gel this pair together all the more…?

I hope I'm not tooting my own horn here, but Hi'en is also one of my favorite fanbabies along with Chouko - she's REALLY cute at age 2 but don't be fooled, lol! I'm also surprised that Raiju seems to be a readers' favorite, since you're not the first to have commented on him - maybe it's because he's very similar to what I'd imagine Rindou to be like if she was born a guy. Our Raiju-nii-san is probably closest to Rindou out of all the brothers since they were playmates growing up, and like many siblings near the same age do, they also fight and squabble a lot…all the way to adulthood, apparently. This pair of sister/brother duo will probably be pecking at each other even when they are old and grey. xD

Gah, I have headcanons swimming up to my ears for everything EiRin (including their extended families and all that!) and I'm glad you enjoyed reading some of them because I'm really happy to have this platform of friendly, interactive readers to share them with. Yep, I was most definitely referring to you in my previous A/N, no case of mistaken identity here, Nonnie!

It may seem like I'm always very appreciative of all the feedbacks given to me with regards to Peerless (and I really am), but I also don't want to take them for granted, since they really are food for the writer's soul. These days, one'd be lucky even to receive a mere pittance of reviews even with a few hundred hits per chapter, and I always end up wondering if that means the update was bad, so it can be really discouraging. SO BY ALL MEANS TRANSMIT ALL THE EIRIN VIBES OVER! I WELCOME THEM ALL! Haha.

It's not a problem at all; feel free to keep your anon status – I'm fine communicating here on FF Net also. :) Thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts, as always!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	18. Chapter 18

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 6442

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 12/07/17

* * *

 **What tangled webs we weave**

* * *

For two individuals who were so different in character, they hardly ever fought.

It had always been like that.

Even though one was fiery and loud and bossy and the other was more passive and a bit pessimistic and hesitant, they never really had any issue communicating to each other, or getting their messages across in the way they were meant to be received. Sure, sometimes there were mixed signals being given out every now and then, but that was something that happened to just about everyone in any sort of relationship, and those little cockups were also easily resolved in the end. _No big deal._

Most amazingly, there was no resentment to be had at the other for being _different_. No contempt, no envy, no uneasiness. Certainly, there were plenty of curiosity, moments of amusement and hilarity to be had at one's expense, and many instances of bafflement and confusion during others, but _yet_ there was never outright dislike, jealousy or fear, and perhaps this amiable tolerance and patience was one of the main factors for the harmonious synchronicity that the two seemed to share so blithely and easily.

Where one led, the other didn't mind following, and vice versa. There was trust. Given surely and unhesitatingly. There was also a lot of give and take, though it often seemed like one was doing more of the giving and the other was receiving the lion's share of the taking…but somehow, the arrangement worked out, all the same.

They were both very different in personality and temperament, but they shared the same vision, they dreamt the same dream, and they made a binding pact to each other to reach for the same goal. To that implicit understanding, they were fully aligned. They protected each other, they defended the other's interests as fiercely as they did their own, because they had _promised_ , because they had each other's backs.

The relationship that blossomed was a simple, enduring friendship that quietly grew and grew and grew over the years, sustained and nurtured by mutual care and kindness and affection, until one day, it matured and bore fruit.

 _Love_.

Love was beautiful. Love was red like her striking hair; passionate, volatile, and all-consuming. Love was white like his tousled silken locks; pure, soothing and faithful.

Love was delicious. Love was sweet, but not too sweet that it became overwhelming and cloying. Love was refreshing, just tart enough, teasing the senses, whetting the appetite for _more_. Love was succulent, juicy and bursting with organic, undiluted goodness and happiness.

Together, they brought out different sides of the other; different hues and shades of colors that each would never have been able to see on their own…and maybe that was _why_ , for two people who were so dissimilar in character, they were still able to coexist mutually.

And so, it was the truth that they hardly ever fought…but that did not mean they _never_ did…

* * *

 **From:** Shigeo Hayashi **  
Sent:** Sunday, July 09, 20XX 09:45 PM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa **  
Subject:** I SWEAR this is not a PR stunt

Tsukasa-san,

I don't know what to say.

Rindou-san usually avoids answering that particular question on set so I was _really_ surprised when she did this time.

…Are you two okay?

Anyway, please let me know what I can do to help.

Kindest Regards,  
Shigeo Hayashi

* * *

 **From:** Kirin Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Monday, July 10, 20XX 11:27 AM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa **  
Subject:** Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Am in Thailand. Just saw Rindou's interview on tv. What's going on?

Rgds,  
K. Kobayashi

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Monday, July 10, 20XX 01:50 PM **  
To:** Kirin Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Kirin nii-san,

We're experiencing a difference in opinion.

Regards,  
Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Kirin Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 03:10 PM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **CC:** Tenko Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Difference in opinion? You two don't have differences in opinion! She's also not responding to any of my texts or calls.

Are you two okay?

Rgds,  
K. Kobayashi

* * *

 **From:** Shishi Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 03:10 PM **  
To:** Kirin Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Eishi Tsukasa; Tenko Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** Automatic Reply: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Hi All,

This is an automated reply. I am currently away on a research trip and may have limited access to email.

For urgent matters, please contact Administration directly for assistance.

Cheers,  
Assoc. Prof. Shishi Kobayashi  
Department of Biology  
Faculty of Science  
McGill University

* * *

 **From:** Raiju Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 03:57 PM **  
To:** Kirin Kobayashi; Eishi Tsukasa  
 **CC:** Tenko Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi;  
 **Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Why the hell am I being CC-ed in this? What's going on?

-Raiju  
Sent from my iPhone

* * *

 **From:** Tenko Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 04:19 PM **  
To:** Raiju Kobayashi; Yuudai Kobayashi; Ayame Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Kirin Kobayashi; Eishi Tsukasa; Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

I just saw the clip online. Is this what you're referring to, Kirin?

 _Tenko Kobayashi_ has shared a video with you on YouTube:  
 _"Full Exclusive Interview: Kobayashi Rindou talks to TV Asahi"_ – We interview popular food and travel host Kobayashi Rindou and ask her three personal questions…

Pa, Ma,  
FYI.

Regards,  
Tenko

* * *

 **From:** Raiju Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 04:48 PM **  
To:** Tenko Kobayashi; Eishi Tsukasa; Yuudai Kobayashi; Ayame Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Kirin Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

What did I just watch. What does that mean.

Eishi, you _dumped_ my sister?

-Raiju  
Sent from my iPhone

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa .jp  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 05:03 PM **  
To:** Raiju Kobayashi; Yuudai Kobayashi; Ayame Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Tenko Kobayashi; Kirin Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: Okay, just what's going on with you two oddballs now

Raiju nii-san,

 _ **No**_ , I did _not_ dump Rindou. Please give me some time to sort this out with Rindou.

Yuudai-san, Ayame-san, Everyone,

I deeply apologize for the disturbance caused.

Regards,  
Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Ayame Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 05:42 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Yuudai Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Rindou,

What's going on? What do you mean, 'you're not dating anyone at the moment?' Are you bullying poor Eishi again?

CALL ME BACK.

Love,  
Ma

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 06:55 PM **  
To:** Ayame Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Yuudai Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE:KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Ma, leave me alone! I'm trying to make a point here!

Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Ayame Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:12 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Yuudai Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Daughter,

What point exactly are you trying to make? Have you really broken up with Eishi?

And which part of 'CALL ME BACK' do you not understand? I _know_ I did not raise a thoughtless kid, so don't prove me wrong now!

Love,  
Ma

* * *

 **From:** Yuudai Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:34 PM **  
To:** Ayame Kobayashi; Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Dear,

Maybe we should just leave them be to sort it out themselves.

Rindou,

If something happened between you and Eishi and you need us, let us know, okay?

Love you,  
Pa

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:41 PM **  
To:** Yuudai Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Ayame Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE:KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Thanks, Pa. Eishi didn't do anything to me, if that's what you're trying to ask.

He's not like that.

Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Yuudai Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:45 PM  
 **To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

Rindou,

In that case, I hope you know what you're doing, kiddo, 'coz I've really got no idea what's going on.

That boy's a good kid.

Love you,  
Pa

P.S.: Your mom's stomping around in the background like a raging dragoness. I don't know how long I can keep her contained before she's on the next flight back to Japan. Please try to resolve this ASAP.

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:47 PM **  
To:** Yuudai Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE:KOBAYASHI RINDOU. ANSWER YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW.

I know, Pa.

Thanks.

Love you too,  
Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:51 PM **  
To:** Tenko Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi; Kirin Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** WHO IS IT

YOU FOUR.

Who told Pa and Ma? WHO.

Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:51 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi; Tenko Kobayashi; Kirin Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** Automatic Reply: WHO IS IT

Hi All,

This is an automated reply. I am currently away on a research trip and may have limited access to email.

For urgent matters, please contact Administration directly for assistance.

Cheers,  
Assoc. Prof. Shishi Kobayashi  
Department of Biology  
Faculty of Science  
McGill University

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 08:51 PM **  
To:** Tenko Kobayashi; Kirin Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: WHO IS IT

YOU THREE.

Who told Pa and Ma? WHO.

Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Raiju Kobayashi **  
Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 09:18 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi; Tenko Kobayashi; Kirin Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Shishi Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: WHO IS IT

…If you don't want Pa and Ma to know, then maybe don't broadcast your personal business all over the internet, _idiot_.

My inbox was blowing up all day because of you and your little lovers' spat with Eishi. You're such a drama banana, I swear.

Are you done?

-Raiju  
Sent from my iPhone

* * *

 **From:** Tenko Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 09:22 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Kirin Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: WHO IS IT

Rindou,

I was the one who told Pa and Ma.

Hope you resolve your problem with Eishi soon. He's a good kid. I like him.

Regards,  
Tenko

* * *

 **From:** Kirin Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 09:35 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Tenko Kobayashi; Raiju Kobayashi; Shishi Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: WHO IS IT

Baby Sis,

Eishi's been trying to reach you the last few days. Even if you're mad at him right now, don't be so cruel to the poor guy like that.

I think you know him better than us, the kind of person that he is.

Resolve your differences and make up.

Rgds,  
K. Kobayashi

* * *

 **From:** Shigeo Hayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 10:55 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** Please turn on your phone

Rindou-san,

Uh…Tsukasa-san has been trying to reach you all day. I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to tell him, since I have no idea where you've gone as well.

May I know where you are right now? It's getting quite late.

I know that it's really tempting to stay out right now and do all sorts of reckless things, but please consider your own safety.

We're very worried.

…Well, I'm very worried, but I'm starting to think Tsukasa-san is going out of his mind.

Please at least call him back, okay? And then call me back also, so I can at least go to bed with some peace of mind.

Kindest Regards,  
Shigeo Hayashi

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:02 PM **  
To:** Shigeo Hayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Please turn on your phone

I'm fine, Shigeo. I'm not being _stupid_.

Unlike somebody else I know.

Don't worry about me.

Rindou

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:11 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** Do we have to do this

Really? We're communicating by email now?

Answer your phone.

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:15 PM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

I'm not communicating anything to you. I'm not communicating anything to a mindless, emotionless _robot_.

I thought you _love_ sending emails lately. Isn't that your thing now, future General Head Chef?

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:18 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

Calling me names won't resolve anything.

Where are you right now?

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:22 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

Rindou,

If you're breaking up with me on national television, I think I at least deserve to know _why_.

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:25 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

I know that you're reading this.

Stop ignoring me.

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:41 PM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

Are you turning into a spambot now?

I'm not breaking up with anything. I'm just not dating a _robot_.

Leave me alone, I need to consider my circumstances.

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:45 PM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

…Stop calling me a robot.

What do you mean, 'consider your circumstances?'

 _Rindou_. Can't we just talk this out like proper adults?

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Tuesday, July 10, 20XX 11:59 PM **  
To:** Eishi Tsukasa **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

No.

You're not even _listening_ to yourself.

Until you do, there's nothing else to say.

* * *

 **From:** Eishi Tsukasa  
 **Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 12:04 AM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi **  
Subject:** RE: Do we have to do this

…I don't understand.

 _Why_ are you doing this?

Eishi

* * *

 **From:** Daiichi Toyoda **  
Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 02:15 AM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Ryuji Higurashi; Shin Kimura **  
Subject:** Regarding that interview...

Kobayashi-san,

Is it true? Are you really done with our boss? Ryuji's convinced that you've only been toying with our poor boss the entire time, and if so, that's seriously _not_ cool. I've been a huge fan and supporter of your programs all this time but I don't think I can accept this cruel side of you.

Our boss deserves better.

Best Regards,  
Daiichi

* * *

 **From:** Ryuji Higurashi  
 **Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 02:36 AM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Shin Kimura; Daiichi Toyoda **  
Subject:** RE: Regarding that interview...

Kobayashi-san,

Please ignore that idiot. I never mentioned any such thing.

That said, I really got to give it to you. I don't think I've ever seen the boss this miserable before, in all the years that I've worked with him.

And you managed to pull it off so effortlessly, without even being physically present to do so.

Amazing.

\- Higurashi

* * *

 **From:** Shin Kimura  
 **Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 02:58 AM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Ryuji Higurashi; Daiichi Toyoda **  
Subject:** RE: Regarding that interview...

Kobayashi-san,

Tsukasa-san has been quite…unhappy lately, and I believe that we all know the reason why that is so.

Speaking as a concerned friend and colleague, I implore you to reconsider your stance on a certain sensitive personal matter, or failing that, at least reopening a proper channel of communication so that you both may resolve this issue amicably.

Sincerely,  
Shin Kimura

* * *

 **From:** Daiichi Toyoda **  
Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 03:01 AM **  
To:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **CC:** Ryuji Higurashi; Shin Kimura **  
Subject:** RE: Regarding that interview...

Okay, I feel like I really gotta get this off my chest.

Rindou-san, I think it's pretty damn obvious that the boss is head over heels in love with you, so what's your problem?

You probably know him best, what with that long history that you both share, so what's with this whole passive aggressive treatment you're giving him? He's suffering right now because his best friend is shutting him out and he does not know _why_.

You know, we're trying our hardest to lift his spirits a bit and this guy's just mopey as all hell, _but_ still he's trying to defend you for whatever mind games you're putting him through.

I wish you a great rest of your day with this understanding, Rindou-san.

Best Regards,  
Daiichi

* * *

 **From:** Ryuji Higurashi  
 **Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 03:24 AM **  
To:** Daiichi Toyoda **;** Shin Kimura; Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Subject:** RE: Regarding that interview...

Daiichi, your phone privileges are hereby withheld indefinitely, dumbass.

Shin, see that it happens.

Kobayashi-san, we're done interfering with your private affair with our Boss. Sorry about this. Hope that you understand our concerns.

\- Higurashi

* * *

 **From:** Rindou Kobayashi  
 **Sent:** Wednesday, July 11, 20XX 03:35 AM **  
To:** Ryuji Higurashi; Daiichi Toyoda; Shin Kimura **  
Subject:** RE: Regarding that interview...

Guys, I do understand your concerns.

But I'm still gonna do what I gotta do.

Thanks,  
Rindou

* * *

He was waiting outside her apartment when she finally reached home. To be more precise, he was standing at the corridor, gazing out the glass window, blankly studying the empty, early morning streets below.

Something in her chest _ached_ at the sight of him, his white hair somewhat disheveled from all the times he must have ran his fingers through them, his expression drawn and taut with unsettling disquiet, his color paler than usual.

It was always easier to be cruel to him from a distance, she thought. Because that way, she wouldn't be on hand to personally witness the damage she had inflicted.

He lifted his head when he sensed her approach, and their eyes met.

There wasn't even anger in his pale lavender gaze.

He was just _tired_.

That uncomfortable, squirmy feeling in her chest grew in magnitude. She stood there and watched him for a while, silently self-flagellating herself with this gripping guilt.

"How long have you been standing out here?" she asked at last, unable to bear the silence for any longer. "S'not like you don't have the key to let yourself in."

He continued to study her, his gaze sharpening slowly, taking on a cautionary reserve. He squared his shoulders, grim with resolve.

He looked like he was getting ready to go into battle.

"…Am I still allowed to use your key?" he questioned quietly in response, and she could tell by his ostensibly mild retort that he was more upset than he seemed…and she had considerately given him days to _stew_ over it, too.

She brushed past him and went to unlock the door. She let him into her apartment, shutting the door behind her only after he had stepped across the threshold as well.

"Don't you have work to get to?" she asked as she tossed her keys and purse onto the side table.

He shook his head. "I took leave."

He didn't elaborate further, and her phone buzzed then, with another incoming email. Distracted, Rindou wondered just who was it this time, looking to give her an indignant earful (or eyeful, in this case) on behalf of her boyfriend-

Before she could take a good look though, the device was deftly stolen from her grasp. " _Hey_!"

Eishi switched off the smartphone, drew his own out from his pocket and did the same as well. He set the silent phones on the table as well.

"We've been depending overly much on those to communicate lately. I've also been thinking about you wrote. I'm not leaving until we straighten this out."

He was being unusually assertive, but then again, this was what she had expected, after the way she had tormented him so.

She was not done yet, unfortunately.

Rindou shook her head.

"You still don't get it," she insisted.

"Then tell me what I'm not getting," he countered, and she shook her head again, trying to slip past him to get to the bedroom, only for him to reach out, his fingers curling around her wrist with quiet desperation, stopping her from walking away.

" _Rindou_ ," his voice was almost inaudible, heavy. There was a long, long pause as he just _stared_ at her.

…And there was hesitation… _uncertainty_ , his usually pristine gaze now clouded by worries and doubts, the fears that had been bubbling nonstop in him for the last few days.

" _Have you grown tired of me?"_

Her gold slit eyes flashed at his weary question, this very question that he _just_ had to ask, that had been eating at him for a while now.

Perhaps this had not been her best idea. But why couldn't he _see_?

He had come to her, prepared to _fight_ to keep her, all the while knowing full well that this could very well be one of the outcomes that laid waiting for him, but he was still trying to hold onto what he _loved_ , all the same.

It maddened her sometimes, drove her up the wall, that he could still consider this a possibility after all this time they had come to know each other…but this was just _it_. This was him, all of him that she adored, all that made him good and bad, that strange mix of courage and reticence, boldness and insecurity, his duality that made him so infuriating to deal with somehow…but she would not have him any other way, regardless.

…But _why_ couldn't he see that it was the same thing?

She did not answer his pained question exactly, but there was an irritated growl as she turned to him and stepped right up, and without another word, she kissed him. Her frustration was palpable; she had been scolded and berated the last few days but he still did not understand what she was trying to show him. She pressed right into him, shoved him up against the nearest wall in her displeasure, and she attacked his mouth aggressively. She bit at him, and he groaned, his arms clamping around her warm, soft form, hauling her up against him, lean tensile strength unyielding, not allowing even an inch of space to exist between them.

It did not take him long to reciprocate her moody forcefulness. He had been strung taut too these last few days, nerves close to snapping, jittery and quick to trigger all because of _her_. He was _simmering_ beneath that icy surface, close to exploding. He kissed her back hungrily, drinking her in like he was dying, like she was an elixir and he had to have all of her for himself. He pried her lips apart, pushed his tongue into her mouth, seeking its mate, _claiming_ her. They struggled against each other for dominance, and this time around, he was firmly matching her every step of the way. He wasn't giving into her at all, not backing down. His relentless, demanding _want_ for her sucked her breath right out of her lungs, and the scorching heat of his kiss threatened to make her knees buckle. This was Tsukasa; passionately, fiercely, branding her. Mine, mine. _Mine._

She submitted readily to him.

Yes. _Yes_ , yours. Yours. _Yours_.

It was a heated, blurry mess in the semi-darkness of the entranceway, a jumble of limbs, open mouths pressed against bared skin, gasps and grunts and clumsy fumbling. It was almost like the first time all over again. He dragged her down to the floor, his large, lean hands all but tearing her leather jacket off of her, tugging the straps of her tank top down her arms and popping her breasts free from the confines of her bra, and then his head was ducking down to catch one peaking nipple in the hot, moist heat of his mouth, and she arched into him, a squeak escaping her at the near painful way he was suckling her so _hard_. Her hands scrabbled for purchase against his shoulders, and he lifted her entirely and _made_ her straddle his lean hips. He was sitting up against the wall and she was practically sprawled on his lap, and her slightly raised elevation allowed him to lavish his attention on her bare, heaving chest; dexterous fingers and lips and tongue working her soft, _sweet_ flesh until she was stuttering and breathless, flustered and unable to think about anything else but _him_.

" _E-Eishi_."

Hot, flushed and her blood throbbing through her body, she rocked her jean-clad hips into his own, could sense his own heat growing between her trembling thighs. Her hands snaked down between their torsos, shakily tugging down the zipper of his jeans, slender digits slipping beneath the rough fabric and his boxer briefs, fingertips running along the length of his arousal with excitement, closing around his hardness and drawing him out. He emitted a muffled groan as she stroked him within her snug fist, all but squirming anticipatorily against him, and they both _really_ did not want to wait any longer.

His hands left the full, tender mounds of her breasts, slid lower to undo her pants and work the stiff, sturdy material off. She shifted her weight onto her knees and raised herself, just enough for him to pull the tight article of clothing down her flanks and thighs. She pressed back against him and wiggled free of the snug jeans, and his hand splayed against the small of her back, pulling her back down over his lap. His fingers edged the crotch of her panties, and then nudged aside the lace, exposing the soft, slick petals of her womanhood. She shuddered and bucked into his hand, as those callused digits rubbed her needy flesh, probing gently to test her readiness. She pressed her face into the side of his throat and panted.

"Now," she rasped against his skin, tonguing eagerly at that sensitive spot on his neck that never failed to make him shiver, his fingers digging hard into her waist as he struggled to _focus_. "I want you _now_."

Desire reared its head in him, stark and primordial. He wanted her too, his lavender eyes colored so _dark_ with lust. She was so mesmerizingly, enticingly soft. He silently nudged her to lift her hips and she obliged, parting her thighs and eagerly guiding him to that secret, weeping place nestled at the apex of her legs. She quivered when the velvet head of his shaft traced her slippery folds, and she bit her lip impatiently, positioning herself more over his erection, slowly and determinedly starting to take him into her body.

She _ached_ a bit but it was a familiar, satisfying kind of _pain;_ her body struggling to accept his girth, her taut, rippling form parting around his maleness, trying to relax her tense muscles as he sunk into bliss, with her wrapped so snugly all around him. He was hungrily kissing her neck, her bare shoulder, as one arm remained curled around her slender waist, cradling her close, whereas the other hand massaged her sensitive flesh where they were intimately joined, drawing quiet moans from her. She _sighed_ when he was finally seated fully in her, and then he started to rock against her; slow, shallow thrusts that gradually grew more frenzied and needy, until she was restlessly clawing at his back, blindly seeking his lips to muffle her growing cries of pleasure, her hips bucking helplessly against his own even as their mouths mated just as greedily, reveling in the animalistic ecstasy of shared gratification.

That hot, fluid pressure winding in her just build and build…until she could not take it _anymore_. Her thighs shook, her body going stiff, molding her curves against him, digging her nails into the back of his shoulders, her foggy eyes squeezed shut, lips parted in a silent gasp as without warning, her orgasm completely overtook her.

" _Rindou_ ," he breathed her name softly against the elegant line of her throat, biting down on her neck as the rhythmic contractions of her inner walls clutched and milked him heavily, her limbs entwined languorously around him and drawing him in to partake in the carnal pleasure of her lush form, held in the enthralling grip of mutual climax.

Minutes later, they were both still breathing hard, him slumped against the wall and still buried deep inside of her, and she draped formlessly over him, quivering with pronounced sensitivity as he was still softly pulsing between her thighs, his seed trickling into her. She closed her eyes and nuzzled him.

He leaned forward and pressed his face into her shoulder, kissing her skin with a quiet sort of intensity, his hands roving all over her, as if he could not seem to stop touching her. "Rindou," he mumbled between kisses. "Rindou." _Rindou_.

She sighed breathily, unfurling languidly at his tender ministrations. One hand lazily reached up, slender, feminine fingers running through his white hair, and he visibly relaxed further, if possible. In the glowing aftermath of the passionate, haphazard coupling, the deep, binding affection shared between the two lovers was palpable.

"… _Dummy_ ," she mumbled, biting him back on the side of his throat hard enough in mock punishment, enough to make him _jerk_. He growled tiredly, turning his head to catch her rosy mouth with his own, distracting her with more kisses. His softening form started to stiffen slowly within her all over again, especially when she wriggled and threw herself into all that kissing with renewed enthusiasm. He groaned against her mouth, and she nipped at his lips, his jaw, his chin. His hand migrated to her chest, palming her bare breast, squeezing subtly. She rubbed up against him like an amorous feline, her well-loved body coiling around him, purring contently, and he thought that maybe this was heaven _and_ hell.

She had just answered the hopeless question which he had asked earlier, after all, and all without even having to speak a word in direct reply.

No, she had _showed_ him instead.

"You're going to be the death of me," he muttered, half in complaint.

She could not help but let out a chuckle at his frazzled, disgruntled accusation. Her eyes opened, glowing almost preternaturally in the dim light, piercing him with that golden slit-pupiled gaze.

"Because you love me," she asserted calmly, surely. He went utterly still, not expecting her sudden claim. He watched her closely, waiting to see where she was going with this.

"Not even going to deny it?" she continued, bold as ever, and when he maintained his silence, her expression softened. She curled into him, rested her chin on his shoulder. "Did it hurt the last few days?"

Now, he was starting to tense at her questions, because she was leading to something, that much he knew.

 _But what?_

She was quiet, thoughtful now. "I upset you all the time, but yet you always stick around…"

He spoke then, _finally_.

"…You don't upset me _all_ the time," he corrected her. She smirked at him, and even though he had seen that smirk countless of times before in the past, that brazen little grin still made his heart beat faster, somehow.

"You're the kind that turns into an idiot when you're in love, aren't you?" she concluded. "I don't hate this side of you, because you're _so_ _steadfast_ …" she sounded so full of wonder now, looking at him with those bright, admiring eyes that made him feel so ridiculously self-conscious of himself…and then she pinched him. _Hard_. He jumped.

" _Ow_ …!"

"But I'm still angry at you," she told him nonchalantly, and he looked at her incredulously. If there was anyone who should be rightfully angry about this whole thing, it should be him-

"I'm still angry at you," she repeated resolutely, '-because you've been _unfaithful_ to that which you love."

He went ramrod stiff at her accusation. His lavender eyes sharpened and _snapped_ right to hers. "I've _never_ been unfaithful to you."

It was emphatic, a statement of fact. No bluster, no spluttering, no frantic denials. He would not lie about this and she knew it.

She _glowed_ at his firm respond, one of those beautifully flushed expressions on her face, her eyes sparkling in that utterly becoming way that made him reach physically to her all over again, just as the very sight of her _pleasure_.

"I never claimed that you were unfaithful to me, Eishi~" she lilted, and he paused at that, realizing that he had just more or less confirmed her previous assumption.

 _I_ _ **know**_ _you love me._

Well. It wasn't as if she wasn't aware already, anyway…

"I was referring to _that_ other thing that you love," she told him frankly, and poked him reprimandingly in the chest. "That other thing that you love so much, that you have been chasing all this time…even before I was ever in your sight."

… _Ah_. He was starting to comprehend what she was getting at now.

"I've never been unfaithful to that too…" he trailed off, a bit more defensively, self-consciously.

She quirked her brow at him, as if silently asking. _Really?_

"I never knew that becoming the next General Head Chef for Tootsuki Resort was your life goal," she deadpanned dryly. "…I never knew that you actually secretly enjoyed being mired in boardroom politics and managing people and being buried under endless piles of paperwork so much. _Wow_."

He twitched at her needling, frowning subtly.

"It is an _honor_ …to be nominated a future successor by General Head Chef Dojima," he replied slowly, careful to be tactful as ever, but she had always had that disquieting ability to see straight through him, right to where all the chinks in his armor hid.

"It's not an honor if you're just settling," she pointed out bluntly. "The Tsukasa Eishi I knew at the age of twelve…he would agree with me."

He was starting to get upset…which meant that her attempts to disconcert him was working.

"There's nothing wrong in choosing to stay with Tootsuki Resort," he insisted, his tone sharpening, and she just continued to stare at him.

"What are you really afraid of?" she asked in return, and he was starting to get increasingly agitated. "Is it of failing? Or are you worried that you'd fall back to that dark time during our third year again, with no one around to check you?"

"I'm _not_ afraid," he insisted hotly, and she reached up, palmed his face, turned his shifting gaze to meet hers.

"Yes. You are," she countered, unimpressed by his bluster. He glowered at her. She huffed, rolling her eyes. "You know, I didn't put you through all that unpleasantness lately just for fun."

"Really? I would have thought otherwise," he uttered sarcastically, but she ignored him to continue.

"If the last few days had caused you any amount of distress at all…then I want you to imagine what a lifetime of that emptiness would feel like if you ever stop going after that thing which you love."

His mouth snapped shut.

He silently _blanched_.

She sat back and watched him, watched his gaze cloud over in thought, how he didn't even react other than for a cursory, distracted glance at her when she leaned in and brushed her lips over his cheek. She did not mind his lack of focus, and slipped from his arms.

"Think about what you really want," she told him quietly, and his confused gaze settled on her as she righted her clothes; put her bra back on properly, and adjusted the straps of her tank top.

"… _Why_ are you always doing this?" he asked. This was not the first time. Every time it seemed like he was stalling or hesitating at some major crossroads in his life, she never failed to come to him and pull the world right out from under his feet. Her ways of pushing him forward could hardly be considered graceful or gentle. In fact, they were usually quite traumatic for him. He could not deny that her gambits had always worked, though.

And she always put herself as collateral…like she was betting _everything_ on him…

She cocked her head at his question, and the red silk of her hair slid down one shoulder.

"Why…?" she echoed his question, as if she did not understand what he did not understand.

Her gaze glowed as she held his own.

"It's simple. We made a promise, didn't we?" A tiny, lopsided smile curled at her lips, and she curiously pointed upwards. "Aren't we _still_ aiming for the top, Tsukasa? I won't let you renege on our promise, you know~"

 _Spread your wings and fly with me. Fly high together beside me, always._

He had the strangest look on his face as he stared at her for the longest time.

Really. She was so utterly _ridiculous_.

Only she would think to initiate a breakup just so that it would bring them _closer_ together.

He could not help it; his shoulders started to shake. Was it laughter? Or hysteria? Maybe she had finally succeeded in driving him bonkers. God knew that her upside down, convoluted logic was enough to drive any sane man mad.

But then, he pulled her back into his arms and sealed her lips with his own. Poured his bright, dizzy exhilaration into her, until she was equally breathless and flushed and giddy, and her heart was throbbing crazily in her chest.

His lavender eyes were alit with a fierce, beautiful light as he gazed upon her. Yes. _Yes_ , they made a promise. How could he _forget_?

"Never leave my side," he told her, simply. She shrugged, pleased that he was finally getting _it_.

" _Hah_. Why must I? You're kinda troublesome. Besides, the whole world knows that I'm _not_ dating anyone right now," she remarked, and he was staring incredulously at her again. Then he started to grow a bit irritated, because she was looking entirely too _smug_ for her own good. _This wench._

Thing was, she wasn't the only one who knew how to _pull strings_.

"You really are just using me for sex, aren't you? ...I'm telling your mom."

She stuttered at that, for it was common knowledge that Kobayashi Rindou feared no one…maybe except the fierce little woman who birthed her.

…Who also happened to adore the young man who loved her headstrong baby daughter.

" _E-Eh_? Don't you dare!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Wow, I can't believe that we are already at Chapter 18! I'm kind of amazed because Peerless is nearing the 100k word mark…and I don't know whether to be proud or not, because the EiRin fever is still continuously driving me onwards and I remain freakily obsessed with this ship, haha.

Anywho, here's to hoping that this feeling lasts evermore!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Onto the chapter notes proper!

The theme for this update is 'lovers' spat' - I was trying to figure out how an actual disagreement between these two would realistically play out and this chapter was the eventual conclusion I came to. The plotting was harder than expected...mainly because (my interpretation of) EiRin shares a very relaxed 'give and take' nature in their relationship, meaning they don't quarrel easily! Which makes the most sense to me because of the canon dynamics that play around these two in the series; how Eishi easily gives into Rindou most of the time, and how Rindou sulks and fusses until Eishi placates her in some way or form, etc. Same difference, lol. Ergo, they don't usually let any source of contention between them reach that boiling point of no return, which is a good thing (maybe not so good for overly nosy and dramatic ass fangirls) since it means that they typically don't 'seriously' fight unless the subject matter is something very important…

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I had a lot of fun writing the emails, but I do hope that they were not too confusing for you guys, or too difficult to follow from thread to thread!

Meddling by email is the Kobayashi Family's preferred method of staying in touch. Since everyone is scattered everywhere around the world and there are so many of them around at any given one time, it's impractical to have the whole bunch (plus significant others) crammed into one chat group and all the opinions and back-and-forths constantly blowing up everyone's phones. So email is safer. Hey, at least there's no need to take screenshots to keep for receipts and everyone is aware and in the loop! XD

Quarrels between couples are commonly considered private affairs, though I notice that people also tend to forget that there are always other individuals (namely friends, family and sometimes even colleagues) involved in parts and pieces also, lol. We're social creatures by design, so your private matters may not entirely stay private whether you want it or not, as evidenced by just about everyone having a say in what's going on during the '(Temporary) Great EiRin Breakup.' =p

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

Due to the somewhat unusual narrative style (via email chains) of this chapter, I felt it might be harder to grasp the entire plot of this chapter, so here's the main context, just to make sure that everyone's on the same page:

Timeline wise, this chapter occurs three years _after_ Eishi joined Tootsuki Resort. At this point, his tenure to the French Division is nearing its end, but General Head Chef Dojima is keen to retain him and also groom him to eventually take over his own role in Tootsuki Resort, i.e. the next General Head Chef. This is a huge honor, but the prestigious position at the top of a conglomerate is more about managing resources and pleasing shareholders, and less about stepping into the kitchen anymore (at least no longer on a daily basis) and cooking…which clearly goes against everything Eishi once strove for, hence why Rindou has been calling him a _robot_ , because he is no longer following his heart.

Sequence of events unfolding in this chapter is all happening as an indirect result of the abovementioned factor, but I will leave that up in the air for personal interpretation/speculation! Feel free to question anything – I'm always happy to yammer away at the plot and the ship and it's also good to get clarification since I jump all over the timeline so much sometimes I may have forgotten and missed out on some things. Thanks!

I likely will come back to properly revisit this plot in a future update (from Eishi's POV), but for now, this is the (summarized) long and short of it from Rindou's understanding and subsequent response.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

A bit too late to say this now, but smut alert!

The smut sort of came entirely out of the left field, but I decided to keep it in the end because there's something about spontaneous and passionate EiRin!love that I really like. There's little finesse but it's in the way they cling to and touch each other that gets me right in the feels EVERYTIME.

And yeah, this is obviously not the first time (I still owe you guys the last part of _that_ trilogy btw) of EiRin doing the do, for those of you who require confirmation! XD

 **Side note:** By the by, this may or may not also be the chapter where our Hi'en was possibly conceived~! Haha. Hopefully the significance behind his name is even clearer now…? :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	19. Chapter 19

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3160

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/07/17

* * *

 **Scary Movies**

* * *

All that shrill screaming was starting to become incredibly annoying.

Eishi paused in the midst of the proposal which he had been looking through, a small frown creasing his brow as he struggled to concentrate on deciphering the complicated wording of one particular clause. In the background, forbidding music played, the deliberate, hair raising anticipation slowly creeping towards an eerie crescendo…

And then Eishi jerked in shock, nearly jackknifing out of his seat when the disquieting tension was abruptly shattered by a whole series of terror-filled, piercing shrieks of somebody quite literally getting gruesomely murdered.

…Getting gruesomely murdered on screen, that was.

His heart beating a bit faster than normal, his temple _twitched_ at the disturbance. It wasn't the first time; the television in the office came equipped with an impressive sound system complete some of the best subwoofers that could be found in the market (Tootsuki's funding had always been generous like _that_ ), and every time the speakers _boomed_ with sudden intensity, he was forced to distraction, startling like an alarmed deer…which was incredibly disruptive to his work, to say the least, never mind the mini heart attacks he got whenever the protagonist on screen was being confronted by some terribly written horror plot device.

Enough was enough.

The white haired young man set his pen down and fixed an exasperated stare at the back of the head of the other occupant in the room, the latter curled up on the settee and watching the flick playing on the television display with absorbed attentiveness…even as she was peeking over the cushion which she was hugging before her chest, ever ready to duck back behind it just in case the scenes got too disturbing for her tastes.

…He really did not understand _why_ she was watching the show in the first place if she was not entirely comfortable viewing the whole thing.

He most definitely also did not understand _why_ she was insisting on watching the movie in his office when she had her own perfectly empty office to do it in.

"Rindou."

She did not appear to hear him, so engrossed was she in the suspenseful thriller. _Nooo! What kinda dumbass decides to take a shower in the middle of an abandoned warehouse?_

"Rindou!"

The redhead jumped, flicking him a distracted glance before gluing her eyes back to the TV again. " _What_?!"

He sighed _loudly_.

"I need to finish this pile of paperwork by today," he told her pointedly.

She briefly tore her gaze away from the monitor again to give him another confused stare. "…Okay…? And that's relevant to me because…?"

His eyelid ticked.

"Your movie is very noisy and disrupting my workflow. I can't even hear myself think properly," he uttered. "…Can you go back to your office and watch whatever you want in there?"

She wasn't listening to him anymore, gold slit eyes wide with fascination and morbid interest as the villain in the slasher flick suddenly jumped onto the screen and unleashed a brutal killing frenzy upon a group of hapless college students in another scene. She yelped and pressed back onto the sofa, clutching the seat cushion to cover half of her face, half flinching away from the gory scenes, and after eying her comically exaggerated reaction, Eishi shifted his attention to watch the screen blankly as well. The amount of blood and human organs liberally flying around was completely unrealistic and did not really compute to him. The blood wasn't even supposed to _splurt_ like that since the incision of the stab wound looked like it had nicked a vein instead of an artery, and that dismembered limb was very obviously _fake_ …

Horror movies really did not make a lot of sense to Eishi. It wasn't scary at all once all the fictional props were taken into account…and in the first place, what even was the whole purpose of deliberately scaring oneself for entertainment?

What made even less sense to him was how Rindou was eagerly lapping it all up and actually becoming so engrossed in the story that she was letting herself get completely carried away by the explicitly visceral CG. This was also the same woman who could boldly and unflinchingly prepare, cook and serve up some of the most dangerous and exotic critters in the world without even an ounce of hesitation, and now here she was more or less freaking out over staged acts and imitation body parts. He was a bit baffled by her demeanor, but then again, Rindou always made him question many things about her. _What else was new, right?_

Anyway.

He heaved himself out of his chair and walked right over to his friend, parking himself right in front of her, much to her consternation and irritation.

"Hey! You're not made of glass!" She tried to shoo him aside, but he was literally and figuratively unmoved. In the background, there were more screaming and squelching noises of theatrical bloodletting and dramatic massacre, and Rindou tried to crane her head to the side to see what was going on but Eishi shifted accordingly, blocking her view once more. She huffed and scowled at him, at last grabbing the remote control to pause the show.

 _Now_ that he finally had her attention, he spoke.

"Rindou. Your office. Go," he told her in a deadpanned, unamused way, but she shook her head, equally stubborn, puffing her cheeks.

"No! I can't watch it in my office, nooooo," she whined in complaint, and he gave her an exasperated stare.

"And pray tell, _why_?" he demanded to know. "You've got the same TV and sound system in your office and the same settee-"

"Yeah, but I'd be all _alone_ in there! I can't watch the show alone! It's scary!" she sounded rather scandalized by the notion and stared at him like he was being a monster for suggesting otherwise.

"If you're scared, then maybe don't watch it?" He was being Captain Obvious, as usual. She looked at him disdainfully, unimpressed by his solution. He continued, undeterred by her opinion. "You do know that it's all fake, _right_? Take the scene just now for example, the intestines aren't supposed to come out like that logically so you know the anatomy's all wrong-"

" _Nah! Nah nah nah nah!_ I can't hear ya!" Rindou spoke loudly over her friend's attempt at explanation, clapping her hands over her ears for good measure. "Tsukasa, you're sweatin' the little details again! Don't spoil my show for me! How am I gonna be properly scared if you're here trying to take all the fun outta it?!"

He was completely nonplussed by her logic.

"You want to be… _scared_?"

"Yeah, duh! Why else would I be watching a scary slasher flick?"

"Then _why_ can't you watch it alone in your office, since you actually want to be scared?"

" _Because_ I wanna be scared, but I don't wanna be _too_ scared! I still gotta go home all alone tonight, ya know! What if I can't fall asleep later?"

Her circular argument hurt his head. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it again because his mind had gone momentarily blank. He shook his head and tried again.

"…Then watch something else."

Of course, since the woman _never_ did anything she was told, she parted her lips to protest.

"Eh? But I'm already a good halfway through this flick!"

He stared at her, not about to be swayed. He even had his arms crossed before his chest, his brow ticking again.

"In the _first_ place, my office is not a private movie theater, Rindou..! So either you watch something less noisy and distracting or I'm putting you outside right now."

She pouted a bit at him, lower lip sticking out a hair.

"E-Eh? But...!"

Eishi was unusually resolute in his conviction this time though, mainly because he had a deadline to keep. His brow lifted.

"I'm not sending you back to your place later, and I'm most definitely _not_ staying on the phone all night too because of this..." he threatened. Well, at least the threat would hold for now, since she wasn't looking pleadingly at him with those big golden eyes of hers. She appeared more irritated right now, but he could handle that.

"Hey! What kinda friend are ya?" she complained.

"The kind who has a lot of work to do and whose friend is _not_ helping..."

And so he turned and went back to his desk where his paperwork were still waiting for him, trusting that she would at least do as he asked. After a beat, she got off the couch to follow him to his table.

"Ne, Tsukasa," she hemmed, and he eyed her with wary curiosity.

"…Yes?"

"I need to pee," she blurted out then, and he gave her another incredulous stare.

"…H-Huh…? And you are telling me this because?"

She looked at him like she thought him stupid.

"Go with me!" she demanded, and then she seemed to remember that she was supposed to be making a request, and so she added, "Please!"

He spluttered.

" _What_?"

She shifted her weight from one foot to the next and then back again, increasingly uncomfortable because she had been determinedly ignoring the call of nature for quite a while now, and now it was knocking on her door with a vengeance. "Gosh, just wait outside while I pee! Guard the door! Keep me company! I don't wanna get killed!"

He palmed his face. _He should have known that this would happen._

"Rindou. Nobody's going to murder you in the school toilet," he mumbled, exasperated.

"You don't know that!" she countered. "C'mon, Tsukasa! Help a girl out here, will ya? I'll even do some of your paperwork for you after, so pleaseeee? I really gotta go, like super urgent! Now now now!"

She must be really desperate if she was going to the extent of offering to help him with his work. He exhaled through his nose.

"You're so troublesome..."

But he stood up again and started to slog towards the door, and she was already scurrying ahead of him, trotting impatiently out to the hallway and towards the restrooms at the end of the passage. It was already late afternoon and since there were no meetings scheduled that day, there were pretty much nobody else hanging around in the echoing, large building. Eishi supposed that he could understand a bit of Rindou's apprehension...though she usually wouldn't have thought much of it if she hadn't watched the thriller flick in the first place and gotten overly sensitive.

"Wait here, don't go anywhere!" she told him rather hurriedly before ducking into the ladies.

He sighed again in a rather long suffering manner and parked himself dutifully by the entrance. Leaning back first against the wall, he crossed his arms and lowered his head in thought, mind drifting back to the paperwork which he had been looking through earlier, already thinking on how to draft his response...

"Are you still there?" the redhead's muffled voice called out minutes later, and Eishi briefly entertained the thought of withholding his silence in this somewhat amusing situation. However, he didn't think that Rindou would let him live it down though, and he also didn't want to be sulked at for the rest of the day.

"...Yes," he replied. "Hurry up."

"I'm almost done!"

A few more minutes elapsed before the relieved looking young woman reemerged from the loo, bladder emptied and hands washed, and the two of them headed back to his office once more.

"Thanks for waiting~!" she chirped, in a much better mood now that she wasn't on the verge of peeing herself and had also survived any possible toilet ambush from opportunistic neighborhood mass murderers.

"Next time, please don't watch scary flicks if you cannot handle it," he remarked, and she huffed at him.

"I can so handle it," she defended herself. "I just need a bit of moral support, is all!"

He shot her a skeptical look.

"You can't even go to the bathroom alone..."

"Eh. That's why I've got you, and there's also the buddy system! You're being nitpicky again, Tsukasa!"

"Being nitpicky is how things get done in life, Rindou." _Besides, they were both way too old to still need to activate the buddy system for toilet runs…_

"Maybe, but being _too_ nitpicky will turn your hair white even faster!"

"…I was born with this hair color," he deadpanned.

"That just proves my point even more, _ora_!"

"…"

He didn't even know why he still bothered to argue with her logic, since she never made sense _yet_ he never won. _What kind of Schrödinger's cat situation is this?_ He slouched towards his desk where that depressing tower of paperwork was still waiting for him, and she went over to the TV console to fiddle with the Blu-ray player. It seemed like she had decided to heed him after all, switching out the horror movie…only to pop in something else instead. Looking really pleased with herself, she wandered back over to him, pulled up a chair, plopped down beside him, and took half of his paperwork.

He looked at her.

"What are you doing?"

She hummed and started to flip through the first document on top of her pile, even as the television started to play the opening credits of whatever movie she had picked now.

"Helping you with your paperwork, _duh_. I said that I would earlier, didn't I? Kobayashi Rindou doesn't goes back on her word!"

"Okay…?" He looked somewhat doubtful, but his lack of confidence only prompted her to raise her hand, draw it back, and thump him in the back to raise his spirits.

"Don't worry! Rindou knows what to do!"

So he observed warily as she sped read through the entire paper, nodded in agreement with whatever was written on there, scribbled a very enthusiastic 'APPROVED' on the heading, and then signed her ringing endorsement...on his behalf. He watched, now flabbergasted, as she effortlessly forged his signature with a bold flourish, flashed him a victorious peace sign, and then continued onto the next proposal.

"Piece of cake! Now hush and lemme watch my movie also!"

…After a very long pause, he wisely decided that he really did not need to know how or why she had learned to fabricate his signature. Then, he rewound his thought processes and decided that _no_. He had to address this or he was going to be _really_ bothered for the foreseeable future. So, Eishi took the remote and paused the screen, much to her protest.

"…You do know that it's illegal to duplicate other people's signatures, right?"

"S'not like I'm doin' it for nefarious purposes!" she rebutted, trying to retrieve the TV controller from him at the same time. He held it away from her reach, knowing that it would be the only way to keep her attention. She was like a cat sometimes, really. "And s'okay if I only do it with your knowledge and to help you, right?"

He could not entirely deny her logic. There was also the fact that she was _always_ well-intentioned, even though her sentiments might not necessarily translate to appropriate action…

" _Why_ did you even learn to copy my signature, in the first place?"

She was still trying her hardest to strain across him to grab the remote, but to no avail. "'Coz Eizan made a bet that I couldn't do it. So I spent an hour and a half studying your signature, proved him wrong, and earned a free lunch." The redhead was almost on her friend's lap by then, flailing to get her hands on the device. "Sheesh, Tsukasa! If you're _that_ worried, I won't do it anymore unless you approve! Now, gimme back the controller!"

Knowing that this was as good a promise that he would get from her to limit the scope of her mayhem, he let her have the remote back, and just in time before she could really clamber on him and dig her sharp knees and elbows in sensitive places (it had happened before). Satisfied, she resettled on her chair and played the movie anew. He gazed warily at her, and then at the TV.

"This isn't another slasher, is it?"

"Nope! It's an animation and there's food and cooking in it too," she replied brightly, smacking him on the arm repeatedly to quiet him. " _Shhhh_! It's starting, stop asking so many questions!"

An animation about food _and_ cooking? Eishi's interest could not help being roused, so he fixed his attention to the television as well. It sounded more promising than the senseless thriller from before…

Thirty five minutes later, the First Seat was ready to revise his opinion.

"…Can we watch something else? This is _terrible_."

It really wasn't a question, seeing that he had paused the movie _again_ , much to his companion's displeasure. It was a wonder that the white haired teen had ever watched _any_ show to completion, what with the way he kept disrupting everything she was trying to play on screen so far.

" _Again_?" Rindou complained. "You're like a total movie Nazi, Tsukasa! What's wrong with this one now? I thought that it's pretty awesome!"

He sent her a faintly disbelieving look.

"Awesome? There's a _rat_. In the kitchen! That's not awesome; that's a disaster!"

"Yeah, but the rat's the main character so the 'lil guy's right where he belongs!" she retorted. Now she was starting to understand why he had been _twitching_ periodically since a few minutes into the flick. "'Sides! That's an amazing cooking rat! I'd love to see one live in action," she insisted.

Eishi turned fully to her, incredulous.

"Have you any idea," he began very seriously, "the number of health code violations incurred with just the detection of a single rodent within the premises of a commercial kitchen?"

He looked like he was gearing up for a lecture on food health and safety and so Rindou hurriedly tried to derail her best friend before he could really get rolling. Tsukasa was typically kind of hesitant and pessimistic, but nothing could get him fired up faster than the subject of cooking…and he was really, _really_ fastidious about his work stations, too.

"Yes, I know. I kinda attended the same lessons that you did, Tsukasa. Are you- Are you turning _grey_? Oh, c'mon, this is just an animation! The rat's not even real and it's not even in your kitchen!"

"Yeah, but now I'm gonna be staring very hard at my ingredients and wondering if they've been in contact with rodents! Or if there are any of those critters living in the kitchens right now!"

Eishi's expression was taking on a distinctly greenish tinge as he entertained one worsening thought after the next. Now, it was Rindou's turn to slap her palm over her forehead. And he called her the over reactive one. _He clearly wasn't any better!_

"Oh, for goodness sake-"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Theme of this chapter is 'movie date.' I wanted to do something lighthearted and more focused on this pair's easygoing friendship, and so this was the end result.

This also explores some of my personal headcanons for the characters, mainly **1)** Rindou sometimes enjoys watching scary movies just to scare herself for fun (but then she gets jittery and jumpy from the adrenaline rush and Eishi has to deal with all that ensuing drama lol) and **2)** many years later, Ratatouille is _still_ banned in the Tsukasa household because of… _reasons_. Haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I found the movie Ratatouille quite entertaining, and personally, I've got nothing against rats. They are very intelligent, social creatures; in fact, I once had a lovely pair of fancy rats for pets, and very sweet critters, they were! But I also acknowledge Eishi's concerns since wild rats carry all sorts of parasites in their fecal matter and urine and you really don't want any of those anywhere in the kitchen or pantry, tbh. To a chef or even anyone working in the F&B industry, the constant threat of rodents and other pests is a very real thing and liable to get an entire establishment shut down over hygiene issues, so I can see Eishi taking this sort of thing really seriously, fictional or not!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 17 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Last but not least! My fellow EiRin supporter and friend Okinomz was really wonderful (and awesome) to dedicate an EiRin fanart for Peerless! You can find it on tumblr ( _url_ : otakinu). She also makes a whole bunch of really lovely SnS artworks (as well as those from other fandoms), so do drop by to show your love!

I feel like I don't bring this up often enough, and I know that it's really easy and quick to consume fanarts/fanfics within minutes, but in reality, it takes us many, many hours of hard work and intense focus to produce them and to get them to the level of standard that we want them to be at. So if you've enjoyed the works, please do remember to pop in and offer some support and comments, okay? We share our works online for free but these works are also something personal and meaningful to us, so it's always nice to receive feedback and validation. :)

Happy weekend, y'all!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	20. Chapter 20

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4932

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 02/12/17

* * *

 **Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you**

* * *

Sleeping together took some getting used to, especially for Eishi.

Even though they had known each other for so long, sharing a bed still represented a new phase of their relationship, and it was… _strange_ at first, to lie beside someone for the rest of the night, especially when he had spent the majority of his life (so far) bedding down alone. Even though the other person was _Rindou_ , it had still felt a bit stressful, though that aspect of sleeping together didn't really sink in until they started doing it more often, when he finally returned to Japan after his extended wanderings abroad.

That night in France…hadn't really counted, mainly because they hadn't exactly _slept_...

These days, whenever the couple met up, they usually ended up spending the night together, be it over at his place or hers. The distance to each other's lodgings from her apartment near Shibuya to the Tootsuki Resort where he was currently based in was significant enough that it made no sense to commune back and forth repeatedly over the weekends or during breaks, especially when they both only had precious pockets of free time from busy, often conflicting, work schedules to share.

Needless to say, his girlfriend, on the other hand, had no problembunking down with a sleeping buddy. In fact, the redhead was very gleeful to do so, touchy, overly energetic and effusively tactile person that she was. In contrast, he wasn't exactly the most demonstrative person in public – handholding was pretty much the most of what they did in the open and even then, it wasn't all that often. She was a public figure now, and so it was imperative that her reputation remained pristine beneath the constantly invasive, prying scrutiny of the rest of the world. Rindou typically did not care too much about that sort of thing however, she was randomly outrageous and whimsical in real life just as much as she was on screen…but somehow that only meant that Eishi was even more determined to be discreet and discerning.

In the first place, he was not a huge fan of having his private business made known to all and sundry. He didn't even enjoy having unnecessary attention placed upon him, since that kind of thing usually also meant that people ended up heaping all sorts of their unrealistic expectations on him and it could get really stressful. It was the reason why he did not mind staying hidden in the wings behind the limelight of his other half's growing popularity. Rindou was the kind to thrive beneath all that positive social interaction…whereas on the other hand, he was happiest being left alone to experiment with his cooking in peace.

Her attention was probably one of the few notable exceptions that he actually welcomed though…so in theory, they really should not have any trouble bedding down together. They liked each other and welcomed each other's presences, so what was the problem?

" _Pffft_."

Eishi's vein twitched at the muffled snicker floating over beside him, but he kept his eyes shut.

" _Pfffthaha_!"

"…How long are you going to laugh?" he demanded at last, breaking the silence on his end. "It's not even _that_ funny…"

But Rindou was smirking, her shoulders tremoring with hilarity as she rolled onto her belly in bed beside him, forearms and elbows propping up her upper torso, her long, lustrous red hair coiling lazily over one shoulder in a loose braid.

"But it is _that_ funny!"

He opened his eyes to frown at her. "At least I don't feel the need to become a human starfish unlike some people whose name I shall not mention…"

She was not the least offended by his poking back at her. She sniggered, reached out and started playing with the snowy white hair near his nape.

"C'mon! Yours is sillier! Who lies in bed stiff as a board! You even rest your hands over your stomach peacefully! Who sleeps like that? You look like you're getting ready to be lowered into a coffin," she observed mirthfully, and his brow twitched again.

"You do know that the whole point of sleeping is to _rest_ and _recover_ one's energy, right? Not spend the whole night fitfully tossing about, wrestling the bedspreads _and_ dropkicking your poor bedmate off the bed?"

"I resent that. I've never dropkicked anyone off the bed before!"

"….that you know of, you mean," he muttered back, sighing like he was being very put out by the entire situation. Of course, Rindou being Rindou, she appeared more amused than actually contrite by the implications of his words.

"You never said anything about that, so how am I s'posed to know?"

She had raised a very legitimate question, and one that he had no counter to. Besides, it was kind of embarrassing to broach the topic the next morning, and what was he supposed to say about it, anyway? He'd just sound all whiny and even though she knew all the different sides of him already, a part of him still felt the need to at least be more _boyfriend-like_ before her…only that he was completely lost since he had no idea what that standard was even supposed to be in the first place.

Relationships were something of a grey area to Eishi. He wasn't exactly very close to his own family, in fact, he found it hard communicating with his parents a lot of times, mainly because they usually did not see eye to eye whenever it came to his future. He also wasn't too good at making friends, and it did not help that people were intimidated by his abilities in the kitchen whereas he was just plain intimidated having to reach out to them on a more interpersonal level, and hence the disconnect. Rindou had been one of the few exceptions, and even in her case she had been the one who had barged right into his orderly life and demanded to be friends first, something that he could not help but be grateful for, since he _really_ liked her, energetic sleeping patterns or not…

A good boyfriend was probably someone really dependable…and manly… _right_? Though dependable and manly boyfriends probably don't get kicked out of beds by their _boisterous_ and _unruly_ girlfriends…

Being a good boyfriend was really hard work, Eishi could not help but think, and not for the very first time either. How did other people survive relationships with such enviable ease and effortlessness?

"…Never mind," he sighed again, mumbling and closing his eyes once more. "It's not like there's anything that can be done about it…"

There was a pause, and then the boisterous and unruly girlfriend wiggled closer. "Oh, but there is something that can be done, actually…"

He cracked open one eye and then the other, a bit wary of the way she was all singsongy and pressing up to him. He was also curious about her comment. And resigned to the fact that this conversation wasn't going to end and nobody was going to get any sleep until she was ready to do so. "…Short of tying you up, you mean…?"

Once again, she looked like she was trying hard not to grin. Her gold slit eyes were bright with humor. "Mou, why does this dominant, kinky side of you only comes out to play when you're tired and cranky?"

His lavender gaze sharpened. Usually, he would have been more flustered and chagrinned by her teasing, but like she had intelligently pointed out, he was kind of worn-out _and_ sleepy and that combination typically did not put him in the brightest of moods.

"…If I put a gag on you also, will you finally be quiet and let me sleep?" he muttered, and she could not help it anymore, she burst into guffaws. As she flopped onto his side, muffling her chortles into his shoulder, he just stared up at the ceiling and continued aggrievedly. "…I can't tell whether you're laughing because you think I'm joking, or if you're being condescending because you don't believe I'd actually do it."

His flat comment only served to rack up more hysterics on her end, until she was all but dissolving in giggles, and it was very hard to keep a grip on his depressive disgruntlement when she was like that, all warm and soft and happy beside him. At last, she squirmed under his arm and wrapped his limb around her, settling into her place so naturally that it didn't even feel like it was only recently that they had started doing this. They came together easily.

Her arms snaked around his middle, making his muscles jump a bit when her cold fingertips ghosted beneath the hem of his shirt to run over his taut abdomen. She snuggled into him contentedly. He wasn't the most muscular guy around, but he also wasn't scrawny and bony and thus uncomfortable for her to curl into either. He was warm and he felt really solid and the way his heart thumped slow and steady in his chest sounded incredibly reassuring to her. He smelled really good too; the scent of crisp, freshly laundered linen and something faintly minty.

The last of her chuckles trickled off, tapering to a pleased, happy hum. _He's like a living, breathing heater_ , she could not help but think. She wasn't going to need to cocoon herself in blankets when she could wrap herself around him instead.

"Hold me tight then," she told him simply, her voice still light with laughter. "If you hold onto me with all of your might, I won't be going anywhere…or kicking anything~"

He groaned a bit at her directions. How she was still so bossy and active even when it was already so late was beyond him. _Where did she get all her energy from?_

"…Can't you just lay still? My arm's going to go numb with you lying on top of it and you still want me hang onto you and grapple you to a standstill the rest of the night? Who do you think I am again…?" He was grumbling into her hair, sounding comically like he was already wilting with exhaustion. But even with his halfhearted complaints, he did not push her away. His arm coiled around her waist, his hand cautiously resting on the curve of her hip. It still felt a bit strange…being allowed to touch her with such casual intimacy. It seemed too good to be true, sometimes…though not that Rindou ever let him get too self-conscious with his thoughts…

"Rub my butt," she demanded as she threw one bare leg over him, and he slowly obliged, stroking her rump, pausing briefly in surprise when she all but went limp against him, like he had just discovered a secret button that enabled him to turn her into a purring, docile mass of kittenish contentment…

She buried her face into the side of his neck, wriggling a bit more until she was comfortable, and then she was _finally_ settling down. She sighed and clung tighter to him, and he stilled.

"Rindou...?" He sounded a bit stiff.

"Hm...?"

"Your knee...is in my groin. _Please_ move."

"Ohhh... _oops_?!"

* * *

The next morning, the situation was somewhat turned around.

It was still barely dawn, the room was dark and there was hardly any light filtering through the curtained windows. Everything was soft; muted, foggy around the edges, almost like a dream. Rindou gently drifted awake, vision slowly focusing on the shadowed ceiling overhead. She was lying on her back…pressed down by a warm weight. Her fingers twitched, awareness slowly trickling in, but she was loathed to move, utterly comfortable where she was right now.

Eishi was wrapped around her like a human furnace, his arms curled loosely around her waist, his head pillowed on her chest, their legs tangled together. He was very still, his breathing quiet and steady, his eyes shut, fast asleep. He was heavier than he looked, his sleek, dense musculature stretched out on top of her the way he was right now, but Rindou did not quite mind, and his body heat lulled her into a semi-comatose state of drowsy lethargy. The redhead was also more asleep than awake at the moment, a deep exhalation escaping her as her arm came up to drape over his back, and the slight movement was enough to make her partner stir in response.

He was a very light sleeper, she was quickly learning.

A minute or two elapsed before he showed more lucidity. Or maybe it was more than that - she wasn't keeping track of time too well at the moment, floating in and out of slumber the way she did. He reluctantly lifted his head, squinting groggily. "…What time issit?" he murmured thickly, voice husky from sleep.

She didn't even try to look at the clock. "S'too early," she mumbled. Pressing her cheek onto her pillow, she closed her eyes once more. Her other arm snaked around his shoulder as well, holding him close like he was a favorite pillow. "Go back t'sleep…"

Eishi was finally getting around to recalling that he wasn't working today, and hence there was really no need for him to arise before dusk as he usually did. He laid his head back down again, his arms tightening, pulling her close as well. She sighed again, fingers briefly tangling in his tousled white hair, and he pressed his face into her cleavage, brushed a sleepy kiss over the silken skin exposed by the lapels of her shirt, before settling back in to doze.

 _She was really soft…_

* * *

An hour or so later, Rindou was more awake and quite bemused by the position she found herself in. She was still pinned under Eishi, and he had drifted off again, stretched out between her thighs. Sometime during the early morning, her nightshirt had ridden up over her waist, exposing her long legs. He had one hand resting on her panty clad hip, the other arm coiled loosely around her middle, keeping her close even in slumber. He was resting on the side of his face, his cheek cushioned against her bosom, and in sleep, his expression was tranquil; no stress lines, no furrow between his brows. He was peaceful and relaxed.

She lifted her hand and fingered the fine white hairs at the back of his nape, and then she gently petted him, slowly, idly carding her slim digits through the silken strands, her gaze affixed on the ceiling, her fuzzy morning thoughts drifting about lazily with no weight to anchor them, feeling calm and serene in the softly rising glow of dawn. It didn't take him long to start to stir as well, first making a muddled sound, and then slowly stiffening as consciousness filtered through his sharpening senses.

She switched her attention to him, watching as he started to frown, his eyes squeezing shut in a pre-awake grimace, as if he really didn't enjoy this part of waking up at all, hovering between heavy lethargy and the inevitability of having to shake it off to open his eyes to start a new day. His arms snaked around her more, pulling her against him, and he drowsily nuzzled into her chest, wanting to sink into her softness, and she was a bit amused to know that he had this side to him too.

He drew a deep breath, his chest expanding, and then he exhaled it all out, his muscles loosening, completely relaxing as he stopped resisting the unavoidable. There was a short pause, and then his eyes opened, those ridiculously long, dense lashes fanning his cheeks, sleepy pale lavender glimmering in the semi-darkness of the room like twin moons, slowly focusing.

He didn't move right away even as he mentally registered his surroundings and slowly adjusted to his wakefulness.

She nudged him, and his gaze flickered blearily on her, clearing a bit more…though he was still as confused as ever when she prodded him _again_. Eventually, he registered that she wanted him _off_.

…Or rather, she was trying to get him onto his back.

Not entirely lucid or fully understanding of her motivations, he obliged and rolled over beside her, still groggy and not completely awake…and she followed after him, flowing over his lean form, comfortably draping herself over him like a large, exotic feline.

"Mornin'~"

Her hand slipped under the hem of his shirt to briefly caress his taut, warm flesh, her face buried in his neck, her mouth trailing slow, languid kisses down the side of his throat. He was dazed by her onslaught of generous passion, and stilled when she started to delve her hand lower, going beneath the waistband of his pants to touch the semi-rigid hardness resting between his legs. _What was she doing?_

" _Rindou_."

His sigh was half consternation, half moan.

She paused, lifted her head and looked at him. She licked her lips, her vertically elongated pupils almost fully black against wide pools of glimmering gold.

"No…?"

She waited for him to answer the rest of her unspoken question. His gaze settled on her. Her long, tousled red hair was falling loosely out of the braid that she had put them in the night before, lending her a disheveled, sexy air. Her sharp features were softly flushed from sleep; bright ochre eyes, pink lush lips, soft morning glow. Her nightshirt; slipping precariously off one bare shoulder, the lapels gaping open, offering a teasing view of the pale slope of her breast, the shadowed hint of her cleavage…

He swallowed, throat going dry, now very much awake. He shook his head slowly.

"N-No. I mean, you can continue…"

Her lips curved in this little lopsided, feline smirk at his faint stammer, and that mischievous gleam growing in her eyes made his heart beat even faster in his chest. Eishi jolted when her slim fingers curled around his morning erection, her thumb flicking softly over the sensitive head, caressing him in a way that made the blood in his veins start to heat up and stir. She still remembered his instructions from the first time around, and he pressed his face into the crook of her shoulder as she cradled him in her soft palm and started to stroke, her fingers dancing across his hardening length with unbound delight and eagerness. She liked to touch him, _all_ of him.

He started to kiss her skin, slowly and hesitantly at first, then growing more restless and wanting to touch her too, to reciprocate this feeling that she was giving him. His hands started to drift lower, rubbing softly at her slender waist, gently squeezing her full hips, though before he could tug at her panties, she pulled away, much to his bewilderment.

She pushed herself upright in a fluid, all too feline motion, rocking back to sit on the back of her heels, perched between his long legs, and she briefly glanced at him. He did not look like he was protesting her actions so far…though that ivory complexion was his was starting to flush with rising fluster. She still had one hand wrapped around his arousal, and she slowly drew him out from under the waistband of his pants, the other hand delving lower, fingering his balls, gently toying with the sensitive globes, and he shivered at her delicate ministrations.

"Feels good?" she asked, and he bit his lip and nodded. She glowed. "I wanna try something, so just lie back~"

She scooted lower along the length of his legs, stretching out over his lap all serpentine like. She leaned in and kissed the head of his shaft, then followed it up with a quick, little lick. She paused, looked up at him again to gauge his reaction. Eishi was utterly still. He also felt increasingly lightheaded, subjected to this utterly erotic sight of her putting her mouth on his cock, but he did not stop her. Taking his stunned silence for consent, she did it again, her slick oral appendage flicking deftly at the bulbous head, and then taking a more concentrated swipe this time, carefully tracing his slit, trying to get a better taste of him. A few more enthusiastic laps had him shuddering and tensing alternatively, lust spiking through his system, his hands silently balling into fists by his sides…

She angled her head and proceeded to drag her tongue down his length with alacrity, from tip to root. She lifted her head, met his hazy, hooded gaze once more, and maintained eye contact. Then, she did it all over again, repeating the deliberate motions with sensual persistence, spreading her saliva and his pre-cum all over his rising arousal and getting him all sleek and slippery before her hands took over. He moaned quietly, twitching. _What was she doing to him._

She kissed her way back down to the base, and he inhaled sharply when she licked at his testicles, wetly caressing them before she parted her lips and drew one into her mouth. She suckled him gently, taking turns, her slender hands languorously pumping his turgid flesh at the same time, until he could barely think straight anymore, since it seemed like all the blood in his buzzing head was rushing down to his throbbing privates, eager to experience her tender loving care. She released his balls with a wet ' _plop'_ after lavishing much affection on them, her cat slit eyes glimmering with an intent sort of desirous hunger as she viewed how painfully _hard_ he was quickly becoming in the aftermath of her sensual, thorough attention. She ducked in once more and traced her pink, catlike tongue up along a pulsing vein that ran the length of his erection, and without any warning, she took his mushroomed tip into the satin heat of her oral orifice.

 _Heaven_.

Eishi had not known that it was physically possible to feel this _good_. He was strung taut as a bow, not daring to move as his darkened lavender eyes burned this explicit, sexually charged vision of her into the back of his brain.

He tasted like clean skin and something else that was musky and masculine. Her raspy tongue lovingly caressed the broad underside of his penis, her lips sealing around him firmly as she started to lower her head and take as much of him as she could physically accommodate, until he hit the back of her throat. Her hand massaged the rest of him that she could not quite fit into her mouth, and he _whimpered_.

" _H-Haah_ \- R-Rindou-!"

He was clutching the bedspread, trying to fight the impulse to thrust into the wet, enticing heat of her mouth. She held him there for as long as she could, sheathed in her warmth, until he could feel her throat constricting and she was struggling to _breathe_ , and then she finally withdrew, her eyes watering a bit.

"…Is that okay?" she asked huskily, voice breathless as she glanced at him. "Did you like that?"

He was plain dumbfounded, and was kind of staring at her with something akin to muted amazement.

 _Was that okay…?_ That was okay. That was _more_ than okay. _Did he liked that?_ _Yes_. He liked that. He liked that way too much. She could be trying to kill him with that pretty mouth of hers and he'd go happily to meet his Maker with no regrets.

"Y-Yes, b-but-"

She was kissing him again. Rubbing her pouty lips over the head of his weeping cock, licking up the clear pre-ejaculate welling from his slit in his excited state, gluttonously swirling her tongue over the swollen tip and driving him absolutely _crazy_. She started to engulf him once more, careful to keep her sharp incisors away from his sensitive male flesh, and this time, she was humming happily as she always did, and the vibrations of her vocal chords was creating a _very_ pleasurable effect on his shaft as she suckled him. Although she was doing all the work, he was already breathing hard, _gasping_ , aching with an increasingly frantic need.

She squeezed his arousal firmly, gliding her slippery fist up and down, up and down, even as she pursed her lips tightly around him and bobbed her head in tandem to the quickening, piston-like strokes. The wet friction, the way she hollowed her cheeks, how _deeply_ she was taking him into herself, the slick sounds of the erotic, hungry act, her glittering eyes and her flushed cheeks, _Rindou_ -

Eishi was completely overwhelmed. He seemed to have momentarily lost the ability to communicate coherently, his verbal articulation reduced to groans and rough, guttural grunts of sexual gratification that only seemed to stoke her mood and spur her on to greater heights. Pleasing him _pleased_ her. She wanted him teetering off-balanced, then coming undone and completely losing control, and she most especially wanted to be the one to he yielded to. Her tongue greedily worked his erection every time she took him as deeply into her mouth as she physically could. She was suckling him so eagerly that he was seeing stars behind his closed eyelids, squeezed shut in a chaotic rush of impending, pounding ecstasy.

Oh, god. _Oh, god_. _She was going to be the death of him._

"R-Rindou," he choked on his spit. He wasn't going to last long, not with the way she was vigorously, _mercilessly_ stimulating him "I-I c-can't-"

He was losing it. His hands flew down to grasp her head, spearing into her tousled hair and quickly unraveling whatever was left of her braid. His fingers tightened amongst the crimson strands, and he was _shaking_ , struggling to remember how to breathe even as she had him buried down her throat.

 _Fuck_.

" _Rindou_ ," he stuttered helplessly. The pressure building in him was quickly unravelling, the tingling sensation at the base of his spine snowballing with intensity, throbbing in relentless concert with the near vicious _bite_ of unspent lust holding him in its sharp clawed grip. The pit of his stomach felt like it was on _fire_ , his stomach growing taut as he skated to the very edge of the precipice. She seemed to be able to read his tells well enough by now, to understand what his body was trying to tell her, stiffening and straining like he was going to come apart very soon. Her deft, fluid movements grew quicker, her hand pumping his rigid length faster, her head sinking down unto him so completely until he had trouble figuring out where he ended and she began-

He could not take it anymore. The reflexive contraction of her larynx rippling and tightening around the head of his shaft was the final straw, that which marked the beginning of the end. He clutched her close with desperate fervor and arched into her mouth with a deep, hoarse groan, spilling himself down her throat in thick, fierce spurts. His orgasm was violent and explicit and locked his body in thrall as he came _hard_ , but Rindou eagerly, hungrily scarfed down everything he had to give, her hands splayed over his upper thighs, squeezing and rubbing his legs even as she continued to suck him off deliberately, diligently milking his pulsing length until he was completely and utterly _spent_.

He was still wheezing seconds later, his heart racing in his chest, his pulse rocketing through the roof. He felt like he had just ran a full marathon. His head was a mass of tangled thoughts that led to nothing and nowhere, he had gone completely limp, flopping back on the bed like he had just had a few years of his life siphoned right out of him, trying desperately to regain his composure and take back control of his body. His color was unusually florid; bright spots of red sitting on his ivory cheeks from his heady, sexual high. Rindou slowly dislodged him from her mouth, pressing one last, affectionate kiss on penis-kun's head before she withdrew. She was looking rather flushed and sexily disheveled herself, her golden eyes glowing with feminine pleasure, a satisfied, fanged grin curling her ruby lips that made her look like the cat that had gotten _all_ the _cream_.

She slithered back up to his side, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand at the same time. He immediately reached over and tugged her close, and she purred and pressed into him, happy to be rewarded by his warm touches and tender caresses, basking under his special brand of affection.

"Was it good for you?" she asked huskily, and he looked at her bright, impish features. _She was so beautiful._

"Yes," he responded at last, his voice still a bit rough, his usually distant lavender gaze now completely, intently, focused on her. As if she hung the moon and the stars in his sky. He nuzzled into the side of her neck, his arms tightening around her. "You're _so good_ ," he whispered in praise, almost embarrassedly. Not because he was ashamed of what they had done, but because he was still so completely bowled over by how freely and generously she always gave herself to him in the intimate act of lovemaking…

She snickered at his awkwardness. They would have to get up shortly to wash up and start the day, but she would not mind staying all tangled up with him for a bit longer, just basking in the afterglow of their shared passion.

"Oh, I'unno. I may need to get in more practice…~"

He _looked_ at her.

"…Please have mercy. If you practice some more, I'm gonna turn into a dry, soulless husk."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Eh. I'm not too clear what happened, but I was originally aiming for fluff because I've been listening to this really happy jazzy song on repeat for the last few days, so the sexytiemz came out of nowhere. (I keep getting ambushed by unexpected EiRin!sexytiemz. SEND HELP.)

Anyway. Hope you guys enjoyed it, though! There's just something about strong male leads at the tender mercies of their lady loves that make this one of my favorite smut tropes. xD

FYI, this is _not_ part of that 'First Time' trilogy. This scene probably occurred sometime shortly after that, timeline wise. I really need to begin work on _that_ last part of the trilogy, but the Feng Shui is not too good at the moment and stars are not quite aligned yet for me to start on the chapter (lol).

But SOON.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The theme for this update is 'sleeping patterns,' and again this explores some of my personal headcanons for the characters; mainly that Eishi (literally) sleeps like a log (or Sleeping Beauty), whereas on the other end of the spectrum, we have Rindou the amazing acrobatic human starfish. I feel a bit sorry for Eishi having to put up with such an energetic bedmate, but I think they kind of sorted it out amongst themselves towards the end, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 21 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	21. Chapter 21

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 7033

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 20/08/17

* * *

 **Omne trium perfectum**

* * *

 **Primus: you spin me right round baby right round**

Tsukasa Eishi was _not_ having a good day.

To be more precise, he probably also hadn't been having a good last few days, or entire _weeks_ actually, even more harried and frazzled than he usually was.

It was the evening where the annual gala that was thrown for all the board members, alumnus and affiliates of Tootsuki was being held, and as usual, the young man was running about making sure that all the last minute preparations were in place and that nothing was going sideways under his watch, not even the smallest, minutest detail. This yearly, posh social event saw the most exquisite foods from all over the world being prepared and served to the most famous and important people in Japan's gastronomic scene, and was always traditionally arranged and executed by the incumbent generation of Tootsuki's Elite Ten members. Attendance was also mandatory for the latter group of individuals, though that was not a bad thing at all, since it gave the students a very good stage to mingle and make their presences known to all the big names in the culinary world. Forming connections with all the right people were always important regardless of industry, and all this schmoozing would be invaluable to the advancement of their careers after they graduated from Tootsuki.

As the First Seat of the current generation, the White Knight had also been required to make an opening, pre-dinner speech before all the honored guests in attendance to officially sound off the festivities...as if he wasn't already stressed out enough from the planning and running around to make sure that the entire event would be successful. But he was _obliged_ , and so he dutifully prepared his speech weeks in advance and memorized all the points that he needed to cover front and back, even though he had hated every minute of it. When it was finally time for him to get up on the podium to give his address, he had marched up there more like a general grimly prepared to die in battle and less like someone about to kick off a night of fun and merriments, but thankfully everything had gone more or less according to the many stimulations that he had ran in his head. He had been fueled on nothing but nerves and caffeine for the last day or so and it had been something of a miracle that he had pulled off the speech successfully without stuttering or going completely out of point. …Then again, he was probably too tired to properly react to his usual jitteriness and stage fright, already more or less running on autopilot.

If he had been a bit twitchier than usual, nobody was saying a thing about it.

The problem, however, started once he got off the pedestal and was promptly surrounded by a few of the sponsors, everyone wanting to have their say on what they thought of the gala so far. Eishi was promptly overwhelmed by congratulations and praises, and it was all he could do, stammering and deflecting the enthusiastic greetings, demurring and reminding the guests that he wasn't the only one who had worked hard for this entire event, and that all the other members of the Elite Ten had pulled their weight too to make this dinner an irrevocable success. Unfortunately for him, all the others had intelligently made themselves scarce for now (likely something that they had planned in advance to leave him holding the bag, so as to speak), and thus it was only him who had to deal with all the post-speech socializing. _Those guys_.

"U-Uhm…"

"It's fine! Why are you so shy and nervous for? You've done a great job, First Seat! Be more proud of yourself!"

It was stressful having to put up with the compliments and having all this attention heaped on him, but there was also no way he could gracefully bow out of the conversation, and so one thing led to another, and he wasn't really too clear who had been the one to hand him the flute of champagne in the first place, probably in some misguided attempt to get him to loosen up more and be less jumpy, only that he was flustered and distracted and so he had ended up gulping the whole thing down just to get a moment's peace and gather his frazzled thoughts, without even paying much attention to what he was drinking in the first place…

Twenty minutes, another flute of champagne and a glass of Moscato later, the world was significantly less overbearing…and actually quite tolerable, really. Eishi was also feeling pretty… _okay_. The thoughts constantly buzzing in his head and demanding his attention also seemed less pressing and he was able to ignore them…which made his near constant state of nervousness and anxiety recede somewhat. He was also actually able to focus one hundred percent on _all_ the conversations going on around him… _and in fact,_ _was it him, or were these people speaking really slowly…?_

His responses were steady and lucid as he politely contributed to the ongoing discussions, gradually growing slower and increasingly measured as he took the time to contemplate and form his replies. He was polite and attentive though his color appeared subtly heightened, and there was nothing about him that seemed out of the ordinary. Then again, these guests didn't know Tsukasa Eishi very well either, beyond what they understood of him in the role of Tootsuki's White Knight of the Table. He was handed another glass of wine amongst this merry, jovial circle of semi-inebriated happy-go-lucky Tootsuki affiliates who were also apparently the drivers, conductors and service personnel of this one way train ride straight to Drunksville.

One moment, Eishi was about to lift the glass to his lips; he felt faintly warm and thirsty and the selection of chilled wine was actually really nice-

The next instant, his glass was gone, deftly stolen from his hand by quick fingers…and he could only turn his head and stare, surprised, at the redhead who had just materialized beside him, holding his drink in her hand…which she proceeded to chug down like a champ without even a moment's pause. Then she exhaled, handed over the empty glass to a server passing by, and she beamed.

"Phew! I was really thirsty and needed that!" Her gold slit gaze cut over to the group of adults surrounding them, some familiar faces, others not so much, but she waved merrily at all of them all the same, not even a flicker or change of expression on her face as she grinned exuberantly at the guests. There was something about her friendly, casually engaging demeanor that drew attention and coaxed compliance. "G'evenin' everyone! Pardon the interruption, but the main hall's open so please do feel free to head on over to find your tables~ We've worked _reaaallllly_ hard to prepare all the yummy hors d'oeuvres and drinks waitin' for all of you there, so please sample them and let us know what you think, 'kay? Dinner will be starting shortly, too! Thanks for turnin' up and supportin' Tootsuki as always!"

The group, already in a good mood from the company and the liberally flowing alcohol, was happy to let themselves be herded towards where the main event would be held. They were some of the last ones, since most of the crowd were already vacating the reception hall.

Eishi was standing there, looking vaguely lost. _Was he supposed to follow them in as well, or…?_ In the back of his mind, there was a niggling feeling like he was forgetting something, but try as he might, he could not quite seem to remember-

Then, there was a hand waving right before his face, and his lavender eyes refocused, looking at the young woman who was still standing patiently before him.

Rindou took her hand back and placed it on her hips instead, faintly exasperated.

"You okay, Tsukasa? You're kinda spacing out a lot, and what's with the thousand yard stare?"

And then he was just looking at her. Nothing else. No words. Blank expression. He looked at her for the longest time, just staring in a very focused, intent way that would have made anyone else sputter and blush, but his friend just appeared vaguely amused by his owlish expression…or at least she was until she took a closer look at his faintly flushed features...and put two and two together.

"…Are you drunk?"

He blinked at her. A long, slow blink that served to emphasize how ridiculously long and lush those pale eyelashes of his were…and then he just looked so _confused_. Rindou snapped her mouth shut. However, instead of dismay, she just started to look even more amused. Drunk Tsukasa was not something she had ever encountered before…though mainly because they were still underage and it was technically illegal for them to have alcohol...

 _Well_. Not that anyone really cared about _that_ rule in a culinary school, though.

"I cannot believe you-"

"Rindou-senpai, Tsukasa-senpai, is everything okay?" Nene's voice interjected, the presence of the Sixth Seat accompanied by that of the Ninth as they wandered over from the main entrance of the ballroom. The grand foyer in Tootsuki's largest convention hall was already devoid of people, except for a handful of school personnel swiftly and efficiently dismantling the stage and cleaning up now that this section of the building would not be used anymore for the rest of the evening.

Rindou nodded at her fellow Elites.

"Kinda, only I think this fella here got himself a bit tipsy~" Her gaze centered on Terunori, sharpening a bit in rebuke. "Kuga, what the heck – you were s'posed to watch Tsukasa and make sure that this sorta thing doesn't happen!"

The second year huffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. "Oyy, gimme a break here! I had my own duties to take care of also! 'Sides, I only took my eyes off'a him for an instant! He was gone from the stage the next moment I turned around!"

"Isn't that just 'coz you're too short and couldn't see over the crowd? You need to drink more milk, chibi!"

"…I WILL kneecap you, senpai or no senpai!"

The Ninth Seat's threat did not come to fulfillment, mainly because Kinokuni had calmly reached out and grasped the other teen by the back of his jacket, effectively restraining him before he could stomp over. Efficient as always, the Sixth Seat proceeded to placidly tackle the current issue head on.

"…I see. Should we have Tsukasa-senpai rest for a bit to recuperate, in that case?"

Rindou eyed her companion. The slightly taller male seemed a bit out of it. He actually did not look _obviously_ intoxicated…but she also had no idea just how much he had imbibed, actually. _Maybe it wasn't too bad…_

"How d'ya even know that he's drunk? He looks perfectly normal to me," Kuga pointed out, though not before shaking free from Nene's firm grasp, scowling a little at the other second year as he did so.

Rindou huffed. "Whaddya mean 'he looks normal?' Look at him _closely_ ; he's _perfectly_ calm and not panicking and/or stressed out – that's _not_ a state of normal at all for this guy!" the redhead retorted. She poked Eishi in the side, and once again, only received a rather bland stare. _Yep, Tsukasa's broken, alright._ "I think maybe he's just good for sitting around quietly and lookin' pretty for the rest of the night…"

The three (lucid) Elite Ten members stood around for a brief moment just silently contemplating this circumstance.

Eishi sighed, then. "I need to use the restroom," he announced, polite as ever. "Excuse me."

The three watched as he turned and walked rather normally to the end of the hallway. He was in control of all of his faculties, Rindou observed. He marched stoically towards the nearest door-

 _But wait, where's he going?_

"… _AHHH_! Tsukasa, stop! That's the Ladies! Kuga, stop him!"

* * *

A few minutes later, an irritated looking Terunori was coming out of the Men's with his First Seat senpai in tow. He had been made to tag along by the other two girls, just to make sure that the other male would not have an accident or suddenly lose consciousness and hit his head.

"He's fine," Kuga muttered crossly. "He made it to the little boys' room all on his own. I dunno why you're all fussin' over the guy so much just 'coz he had a bit too much to drink. You're overreacting, seriously."

Rindou tapped her feet restlessly. "We obviously can't risk Tsukasa doin' something funny during the dinner in front of all these people – that'd be hard to explain," she glanced at her friend. "…He's kinda weirdly unpredictable right now…" Her frank commentary was almost harsh, but the young man whom she was openly referring to in question was indeed quite out of it, since he made no move to protest her observation. It also helped that she was petting his hair halfheartedly, and he seemed placidly docile. It was almost kind of _endearing_ , how dazed he looked.

Nene inclined her head in agreement. "I'll let the others know – we'll cover for Tsukasa-senpai; that's not a problem at all since all the preparations had already been completed, anyway." The First Seat was extremely thorough like that. The bespectacled Sixth Seat glanced between Rindou and Kuga. "Perhaps it might be best for someone to remain with Tsukasa-senpai as well."

"Hell no. I ain't babysittin' for the rest of the night! What am I, a nanny?" Kuga was quick to bow out of the picture. Rindou rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, obviously you did such a great job the first time around, _nanny_ -san."

"How is it my fault again that Tsukassan's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol?"

Rindou huffed.

"This lightweight totally owned your ass, or d'ya need another reminder?" The fiery Second Seat retorted, reaching over to give the younger male a noogie as she did so. Usually, she'd be the first to laugh at Tsukasa while the others dogpiled him, but since he was kind of incapacitated at the moment, she turned his champion instead.

Kuga batted the taller redhead away, all fluffed up with indignation. It took him a lot of effort every morning just to get his hair perfect!

"What are you, his mom?" he complained loudly, nudging her aside and smacking her hands away from his bicolored mane. Then Eishi interfered, reeling her back in and frowning at Kuga in a protective fashion.

"Don't bully her," he told the shorter boy pointblank, inserting himself between the squabbling duo. Everyone stared at him, momentarily surprised by his unusually assertive nature, but he seemed strangely unfazed, though he did flinch when Rindou poked one sharp elbow into his side. She raised a brow at him.

"Worry 'bout yourself first, dummy," she rebuked faintly.

"I'm _bullyin'_ her? More like she's bullyin' me!" Kuga was still grumbling indignantly. "You two are something else altogether, ya know that?"

"Rindou-senpai, maybe you should just stay with Tsukasa-senpai until he feels better," Nene suggested. "Kuga and I will rejoin the rest and make sure that the dinner runs smoothly."

"Huh?" Rindou did not look very thrilled by the suggestion. "But I was lookin' forward to the dinner…!"

Kuga just pointed at the white haired First Seat. "Dinner or this guy? Which is more important?"

"EH!" Rindou just looked really indignant. "Why must I choose one or the other?" She stamped her feet in pique, but clearly she also possessed some shred of conscience for she turned to Eishi ultimately. "…Geeze, fine, fine! I s'pose it can't be helped. 'Kay, you two go ahead before I change my mind. I'll just stick around and take responsibility for this guy here…"

Eishi blinked languidly at her again, and the two watched as their underclassmen excused themselves and disappeared into the banquet hall. Then, Rindou eventually realized that Eishi was still holding onto her. To be more precise, his hand was gripping her elbow firmly, and she glanced at their adjoined appendages briefly before lifting her gaze to meet his.

"How are you feeling?" she asked plainly, not the least bothered by the contact. "You're not going to faint or puke on me, are you?"

Again, he was pokerfaced as before, though his coloring still seemed flushed as ever. She clicked her tongue and raised her fingers to touch his hot cheek. "You're seriously warm-"

He reached up and grabbed her hand before she could pull away, instead pressing her open palm into the side of his face more.

"You feel nice."

She gave him a long look. His remark would have been easily misconstrued if not for the fact that he had deadpanned it as casually as one would speak of the weather. It was actually kind of hilarious, actually. "…You're acting funny yet I can't tease you 'coz you've got no concept of awareness right now, which practically takes all the fun outta it," Rindou announced, vaguely put out by this missed opportunity. "You're lucky I'm such a good, amazing, caring friend!"

Rather than being grateful, the white haired male just looked like he was getting increasingly… _droopy_. Now that she thought of it, it really had been a long, exhausting couple of days for him, and it was a wonder that he was still standing. _What a dork._ Rindou sighed and ruffled his hair, giving in. "You worked very hard today. Good job."

…Sides, he was kind of _cute_ like this, all lost and sleepy and dependent on her.

"C'mon; let's get ya home before you really pass out on me."

* * *

 **Secundus: what's in a name**

To say that Rindou had been quite put out when the culinary world finally noticed her enough to give her a moniker of her own would be something of an understatement.

"Eh? What's the meaning of this?!"

Hidden (somewhat) safely behind his desk, Eishi sighed and refrained from the urge to rub his temple.

"Rindou…while I don't mind you coming in here all the time and making yourself at home, can you maybe please be a little quiet? Some of us are actually trying to get some studying done, you know."

But the redhead was too… _spirited_ to pay his protest any attention. He was always muttering in discomfort about one thing or another, anyway. What else was new? The seventeen year old vaulted agilely over the office couch with catlike grace, marched right up to him and shoved the publication that she had been holding right in his face.

" _Look_! Look at this!"

Eishi did not think that he could afford to _not_ look. She was so adamant that he sputtered and took the magazine out of her grasp before she could quite literally shove it down his throat.

"What exactly am I supposed to be looking at…?" he trailed off as the page which she had turned to caught his attention. His gaze flickered over the article printed on there…or to be more precise, it was a gastronomy review. Critiquing her cooking.

 _Huh_.

"Okay…?" he uttered, still confused even as he started to read the editorial. This was hardly the first time she had appeared on a publication; most of them on the Elite 10 usually found themselves put under the public spotlight of the culinary world in some form or another every few weeks or so, whether they wanted it or not. Besides, according to what he was reading so far, the critic was happily singing her praises and quite satisfied with her cooking prowess, so what was she so upset about…? "Congratulations…?"

Rindou was not looking for compliments, though.

"No! Read faster, Tsukasa! Towards the end! Look at the nickname!" the young woman insisted, puffing her cheeks out in pique, not the least impressed. "They gave me one too!"

 _Eh_?

Eishi obligingly skimmed through the bulk of the article, mentally resolving to go over it more thoroughly later, but for now all that practice speed reading through paperwork sure was coming in handy.

He read as the well-known reviewer exclaimed over his friend's uncanny ability to identify and extract the best cuts of game meat and exotic ingredients with her clean, precisely impeccable knife skills. The writer also admired the way she was able to expertly draw out the full, robust nature of her ingredients in a flashy, astounding manner that did not compromise on the superior taste and quality of her bold, vivid creations. The journalist gushed over how the explosive and dynamic flavors did not clash and overwhelm each other at the same time, how this masterful young chef had managed to find ingenious, unorthodox ways to accentuate and further marry the dish so incredibly well despite her fiery and deceptively tempestuous, rough-and-tumble seeming methods of preparation.

The overall experience had resulted in a lush, deliciously earthy and unforgettably rich meal made by the hands of the one and only Second Seat of this generation's Tootsuki's Elites-

 _Uh._

"…Wild…Woman…Rindou….?"

Rindou scowled at his hesitant question. The white haired male looked faintly bewildered…and she took his reaction for agreement.

"Right?! What sorta name is that? Mou, so sexist! This had better not be something permanent that they're trying to stick me with," she huffed and puffed. "What's 'Wild Woman Rindou' even s'posed to mean, anyway?!"

He blinked at her raging up and down before his desk.

"You know, technically, he isn't wrong…" Eishi felt compelled to comment honestly, though he withered a bit when her golden eyes snapped to his, indignant and fired up. _Oh, why did he had to go and open his mouth?_ "I mean, you're a woman and you're also kind of…"

 _Wild-ish_ …?

'Kind of' was an understatement here, and they both knew it. Rindou was not too appreciative of her friend pointing out the obvious, though. Her basilisk stare intensified, and he sputtered.

"I'm aware of what I am, but what does being female gotta do with the food I make?" she demanded to know. He had no answers for her, of course. "And 'sides, just 'cuz I specialize in exotic ingredients does not make me a wild thing! I'm offended! I'm an explorer! Bravely exploring and constantly pushing and expanding the limits of our world! Like- Like Christopher Columbus! Or Alexander the Great!"

She crossed her arms before her chest and pouted some more. She was really sulking something fierce, and he watched her bemusedly. "…S'not fair that you got such a cool moniker like 'Der Weiße Ritter der Tafel' and I get stuck with something so _dumb_." At this point, she had somehow already stopped butchering the fancy sounding German words that he had been titled with and could pronounce the foreign terms with reasonable accuracy. For some reason, she had been more proud of his moniker than even himself…

 _Ah. So the real reason for her displeasure was coming out, now…_

"What sort of names were you actually hoping to get?" he asked instead, trying to coax her out of her funk. She shrugged, her frenetic pacing slowing as she mulled his question.

"I'unno. Somethin' better that this, for sure." Then her eyes lit up with an IDEA™, and he could quite literally see the gears in her head turning _. Oh dear._

The beginnings of a mild alarm started to stir in Eishi's pale eyes. Whenever Rindou had _that_ look on her face, nothing good ever came out of it. "Uh, maybe you should take some time to reflect before-"

"No need," she cut him off, her gold slit eyes glinting with determination, fighting spirit all fired up now. "I just thought up a _great_ idea!"

"I was afraid of that," he muttered under his breath, but he was completely ignored…not that he expected otherwise.

"I'll convince the guy to reconsider his review!"

Eishi just looked even more concerned.

" _Er_ …Rindou, you do know that we're not supposed to harass the critics, right…?"

" _Psssht_. You worry too much, Tsukasa! S'not like I'm going to do anything illegal or bad! I'm just gonna make some really yummy food, and if by some unexpected and unforeseen _coincidence_ , reviewer-san decides that he has mislabeled me and I'm clearly deserving of a much _cooler_ alias, then there's nothing wrong with that at all!"

Her logic was not entirely wrong, per se…though it was also a bit dodgy at some parts.

"…"

 _Most importantly…_

"So here ya go! I'll leave all these to ya! Help me deal with all the forms while you man the fort! _Sankyu_!"

The stacks of paperwork that she seemed to have magically produced from out of nowhere to plop on his desk were heavy enough to make the sturdy piece of furniture _shudder_ beneath the added weight. Eishi's eyes widened with horror as he gazed upon all the extra work that he had to do now. _This woman…!_

" _Hey_! W-Wait a minute-!" He started to stand up hurriedly, protesting the entire way, but the redhead was already quickly hauling ass out of the room.

"Okay, gotta go now! Wish me luck, Tsukasa! Buh-bye!"

Rindou beamed confidently at her friend on her way out, her expression alight with the boundless faith in his capabilities. In the face of her aggressive optimism, Eishi felt like a…soggy cardboard being pitted against a sunny, unstoppable force of nature. This battle was already called before it could even properly begin. In hindsight, he really should have known better than to let his guard down too much around her – she was always pulling wool over his eyes with embarrassing ease.

Eishi wanted to groan. Why was he always so weak-willed against her? Some _knight_ he was, which just went to show that monikers really weren't everything they seemed to be in the first place.

That critic really knew what he was talking about though, when he went ahead and named the Second Seat ' _wild woman…'_

* * *

One month later, Eishi once again heard a very familiar yell of displeasure coming from the other office across his own… scant minutes before the source of all that bristling discontentment came sweeping right into his domain. He looked up just in time to see his friend sail into the room and straight towards him, her golden eyes flashing with pique, once more waving a familiar looking piece of publication around.

It was like déjà vu all over again.

"Tsukasa, look at this!"

This time, Eishi wisely plucked the latest subscription of the magazine off of her hands before she could push it in his face.

"Do I even want to know what you've done?" he asked rhetorically as she was all but vibrating with pent up energy, noisily pulling up a chair to sit beside him. He was a bit distracted by her proximity, the way she leaned automatically into his space to look at the page she had turned to as well, (im)patiently waiting for him to give his opinion of the piece. For some reason she always seemed to value his input, or at least she certainly did not mind listening to his perspective, though whether she actually agreed with it or was even convinced to act according to his sensible suggestions was a different matter altogether…

"Tsukasa, stop spacing out! Read and tell me what you think!"

He flushed a bit at her hassling and turned his attention to the editorial, studiously tuning out her fussing as he glanced over the passage before him. It did not take him long to grasp the gist of the article, not with the headlines already spelling out what the write up was about. _Lunchtime with Kobayashi Rindou (Redux),_ printed the title, and so Eishi started to read, interested to know about the dish that his friend had whipped up to entice the food journalist into redoing his review of her cooking.

"…You actually managed to pull it off…" he trailed off, his lavender gaze focusing as he skimmed through what was written. He started to read aloud from the page.

"… _Once more, the contrasts between the Second Seat of the previous 89_ _th_ _Generation Kikuchi Sonoka-san and her current 90_ _th_ _Generation counterpart Kobayashi Rindou-san cannot be any more obvious. In terms of cooking style as well as temperament and personality, the two might as well be day and night_."

Rindou furrowed her brow and pressed even closer, puzzling over the words. "…S'that s'posed to be an insult or what?"

"I don't think so…?" Eishi replied slowly. "He's just pointing out that your style and that of Kikuchi-san are very dissimilar."

"Well, _duh_." Rindou uttered after brief thought. "Kikuchi-senpai and I are two completely different people and all that. Her western food is really yummy too, and she's super nice and pretty and her boobs are very soft and pillowy!"

Eishi really had no idea what the last few facts had anything to do with cooking or the culinary review that they were looking at. His ears turned red in embarrassment. "…U-Uh, _okay_. If you say so."

Unfortunately, the redhead started to draw some mistaken conclusions, as her golden gaze landed on his vaguely flustered expression. She started to look slyly amused, putting one and one together and coming up with _four_. A vulpine grin stretching across her impish features. "Heh. D'ya have a crush on senpai? I knew it!"

Eishi sputtered. "I do _not_!" he denied vehemently. The fact that the faint red was creeping onto his face in mortification was not helping his disavowal any. She snickered and nudged him in the shoulder.

"Don't worry~! I won't say a thing! Too bad Kikuchi-senpai already graduated – you should've confessed before she left! All those times the two of you were together planning events and dealing with the paperwork! You should have made a move! What a waste!"

Rindou was completely veering off topic. In fact, this metaphorical train that they were on was getting so off track that Eishi could only stare at the other third year in gaping disbelief.

"W-Wait a minute! I don't have that sort of interest in Kikuchi-san! You're mistaking something here!" the white haired male was determined to clear the air before it could get any worse. Rindou was like a wild animal – once she seized hold of a (perceived) weakness, she wouldn't be letting go anytime soon.

"Eh? Why not? Don't ya think that Kikuchi-senpai is really cute? Even an OCD perfectionist like you will be hard pressed to find any flaws to nitpick at," Rindou pointed out bluntly. Eishi grew more flushed.

"Kikuchi-san is a nice person…but it doesn't mean that I have that kind of interest in her…" he muttered, a faint note of disgruntlement slipping into his tone as something else occurred to him. He stared at his companion, frazzled. What was it with her and this mistaken impression that she seemed to have of him, that she kept thinking that the only kind of person he would want would be some 'perfect' paragon of virtue?

Rindou crossed her arms before her chest and appeared a bit disgruntled herself. This guy was just impossible to please – so _picky_! "Your standards are way too high, lover boy," she _tch-ed_ disdainfully, and he just looked nonplussed. _Just what was this ridiculous conversation that they were having?_

"In the first place, I already told you that I don't like Kikuchi-san _that_ way…!" he muttered back aggrievedly at her, and before she could reply to that, he quickly turned their attention back to the publication at hand. "Anyway. What dish did you make…?"

She finally got his pointed hint to drop the subject and shrugged. "I actually wanted to use flying fox meat but it was impossible to get a fresh supply," she mumbled, disappointed at the recollection. "So I ended up substituting with wild boar instead since we've got plenty of those here."

"… _with one bite, the juicy, tender accents of masterfully roasted loin meat spread across my palate and flooded my mouth. I had been firmly determined to remain unmoved by this deceptively plain and simple offering, but it only took but one reluctant sampling to completely blow my expectations out of the water_ ," Eishi started to read from the passage all over again.

"… _The thick cut of precisely carved meat melted divinely on my tongue, and the exotic spice marinate further accentuated and complimented the wild, gamey taste of the wild boar. An incredible smorgasbord of flavors exploded across my senses in a loud, triumphant symphony of victory and the celebration of life. I was overwhelmed with breathless, fluttering pleasure. How is it possible that something cooked over open fire and seemingly so haphazardly could taste so amazingly good? And so, completely against my will, I experienced the feelings of a shy and sheltered vestal virgin whose body and soul had just been forcefully claimed by a fierce, charismatic…warrior. Exciting. Bold. Wild. So this is the true color of Kobayashi Rindou, the brave barbarian._ "

…

 _Uh…_

Eishi wasn't quite sure what to say in the aftermath of the passionate review...which had read like the back cover of a paperback romance novel for some reason. "…Exactly what did you do again to convince the critic to reevaluate your cooking…?"

Rindou, once more, did not look very pleased with her new moniker. She was very close to yelling again, actually. "I didn't do anything!" she insisted, eyes large and looking at him like she was the most innocent lamb in the whole wide world.

He stared at her. He didn't even have to say anything. She huffed and crossed her arms before her chest, shameless and unrepentant.

"…Oh, alright! Don't look at me like that! I might have _strongly_ convinced him to reconsider that 'wild woman' name he coined for me…!"

Eishi grew even more nonplussed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I might have kind of _maybe_ hijackedhiscarandtrickedhimintosittingdownforanothermealthatImadeonlythathekindafoundoutandsoIhadtotakesomedrasticmeasurestohavehimeatmyfood!"

"Huh?"

She looked at him, starting to get grumpily irritated. She opened her mouth to speak again, but apparently he had finally deciphered her ramblings, for he cut her off incredulously before she could start.

" _You kidnapped him?_ "

"I did not _kidnap_ the guy!" the redhead refuted hotly, though her cheeks were turning a bit pink with chagrin. "I just _borrowed_ a bit of his time and then I fed him!"

…Something did not sound quite right here, though before Eishi could ask more, she hurriedly barreled forward.

"Geeze! I worked very hard to be impressive! What's 'brave barbarian' even s'posed to mean?"

Eishi sighed. "…I've got no idea. Still, you must have done something that got you notably elevated from 'wild woman' to 'brave barbarian.'"

"Ooh, I resent that! I didn't even cook anything _very_ weird! And there's _nothing_ barbaric about me…at all! Being given this sort of name is very cruel on the glass heart of a young maiden like me, you know!"

… _glass heart-_

The First Seat had no idea how his Second was able to say those kinds of things with a completely straight face.

"I'm an explorer! An explorer!" Rindou was still earnestly trying to get her point across to her bemused friend.

"…So is Genghis Khan," the white haired First Seat uttered automatically in reply, and his fired up companion whipped around and squinted at him.

"Are you making fun of me?" she demanded.

He quickly shook his head. Any other answer would be detrimental to his health at this point. " _No_ …?"

She gazed at him suspiciously for a bit before she grumbled, slumping. "What do I do now, sheesh?"

"Just let it be," he advised, his tone growing a bit gentler than usual in sympathy. _Being gloomy did not suit her…_

"What? And be known as a _barbarian_ for the rest of my high school career?!"

"…Do you want to get stuck with worse?"

"What can be even worse than barbarian?" She was getting comically indignant again as she looked at him for an answer, and he was suddenly struck by the most random thought that she was amusingly adorable like _this_. His subsequent response to her question was almost teasing in nature, were he to be anybody else.

"…You may end up becoming 'Rindou the troublesome troglodyte,' or something like that, you know?"

"Who are you calling a troglodyte?!"

* * *

 **Tertium: addicted to curry**

The…curry lemonade sweet tasted very… _strange_.

The hard candy fizzled on his tongue with loud citric hints, but the accents of turmeric, cumin and ginger were also strongly prevalent. Everything combined resulted in a chaotic havoc rioting in his mouth, and he could not help but wither a bit, his refined palate protesting this unwarranted abuse.

Rindou took one look at his greying face and almost burst into laughter.

Her shoulders shook with her mirth, and it was only out of consideration for the sensitive feelings of their young companion that she wasn't guffawing like a hyena right there and then. Instead, the redhead flashed a huge grin at the young boy who had presented the candy to the nice _onii-san_ who had made the yummy plate of French toast, earnestly trying to express his gratitude for the delicious breakfast. Rindou rewarded the kid with an approving thumbs up sign, since the young child was still shyly waiting for a reaction for his gift.

" _Yep_! Looks like this onii-san absolutely _loves_ your candy!"

They both cut their attention over to the trembling First Seat. Rindou bit back a muffled snicker. Were Tsukasa's eyes _watering_?

But the young man gamely kept the horrible creation in his mouth even when every bit of instinct in him was telling him to spit it out _now_ , and he weakly nodded in agreement with Rindou's cheery comment, trying his best not to look green and to muster a wobbly smile instead.

The grade schooler brightened and started to smile back happily as well, thrilled to share the candy that he had randomly won off some weird _gachapon_ machine, and that the older boy had seemed to enjoy his offering.

"R-Really?"

Rindou nodded again, unofficially speaking on behalf of her fellow Elite 10 member. She crouched down before the boy and beamed like a fox.

"Of course! How did ya know that lemonade _and_ curry are this guy's favorite things to eat...together! At the same time! You're a _genius_ , little kid! Look! Tsukasa's so happy he's 'bout to start crying- _pfffft_."

Eishi was trying not to twitch, what with the way Rindou was hamming it up so much that even she was having trouble containing her laughter.

"M-Maybe you should give him m-more of your candy-" the impish redhead chortled when she saw Eishi's panicked expression over the boy's head, and then he was silently giving her a _very_ unamused look. Problem was he was about as intimidating as a floppy dishrag to her, and so Rindou paid him no mind. She was too busy turning away and _snerking_.

"E-Eh…! But I don't have any more left…!" the boy fretted.

"It's alright. Thank you for your candy. Your sentiments are more than enough," Eishi was quick to demur, only for the young boy to look at him in marvel.

"No, onii-san! Thank you! Next time, please make even more yummy French toast for Koji! Koji will bring all the curry lemonade candy that he can find to trade!"

Eishi looked like he really might cry if the boy were to do that. His expression turned an interesting shade of ashen blue. Rindou's was bright red from suppressed mirth.

"U-Uh, you r-really don't have to-" Much to his consternation, his stammering denial was accompanied by Rindou cackling like a witch in the background.

The boy's mother called for him then, and Koji hurriedly bowed and waved his goodbyes before scampering off.

"Ahahaha!" Rindou exploded into gales of laughter. Her golden eyes were all but streaming with tears as she pointed at her friend's comically sallow expression. Now that the boy was gone, Eishi was wilting like a piece of soggy lettuce…and the accursed candy was still sitting in his mouth. He quivered piteously, not even having the energy to properly resent the other Elite for openly delighting in his misery. It was hardly the manliest or inspiring sight, but the sensitive teen was already at his limit.

"I think I'm going to be sick," he mumbled in distress around the candy rolling around over his tongue, mainly because it was the height of bad manners to waste food and he had been raised better than to spit out perfectly edible ( _in theory_ ) food, regardless of taste or flavor. Eishi was resigned to suffering through the next few minutes in a curry lemonade-induced haze of misery…or at least that had been what he had dreadfully anticipated, only Rindou had other ideas.

"It can't be _that_ bad-"

Catlike eyes still glinting with mischievous humor, the redhead straightened and leaned over. He watched her blankly, not realizing her intention until it was too late-

She reached for his collar and reeled him in. He sucked in a deep breath in startlement, pale lavender eyes widening-

And then her lips were planted on his.

He stilled, turning rigid. Her mouth was soft against his, but he did not have long to wonder over it. Her tongue deftly slipped between his parted lips and nimbly fished out the piece of candy from his mouth, and her mission completed, she pulled away with quicksilver ease, rolling the candy around in her mouth and sucking at it. She hummed in thought.

"…Sweet _and_ spicy, _huh_. I've had worse~" she gave her verdict, licking her lips. The same pair of lips that had been directly connected to his own mere moments ago.

…He just gawked at her, too stumped to speak.

And slowly started to turn a dull shade of red.

" _R-Rindou!_ "

"What?" she drawled shamelessly, loudly crunching the candy between her teeth. Unlike him, it did not take her long to make short work of the unusual tasting sweet. She was almost sorry that it was gone so quick. She thought that it had quite an interesting flavor...

"I'm doing you a favor here! Why are you so flustered?"

"…"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I'm alive! And also quite apologetic for briefly going MIA, sorry about that! Work has been kicking my butt pretty hard so I found myself lacking in both time to write as well as inspiration to do so, _gah_. Thankfully, the worst of it seems to be over, at least for now…! How are all of you? Hope that everyone is doing great and yelling about the latest update of SnS! :)

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _Omne trium perfectum_ is a Latin phrase that means 'everything that comes in threes is perfect' or 'every set of three is complete.' I chose the title in reference to the three separate vignettes that made up this chapter. Do note that these vignettes are not exactly sequential per se, but the events occur in the same Peerless!verse so make of them as you will!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Themes and notes for the three vignettes are as follows:

 **Primus:** Feat. drunk!Eishi! This is a personal headcanon – I see Eishi as more the lightweight out of the two when it comes to alcohol tolerance. On the other hand, Rindou can drink like a fish. She probably can drink the entire Elite 10 under the table, _heh_!

 _Anyway_. Drunk!Eishi is very deadpan; has no filter, calmly and blankly processes everything that goes through his mind and then flatly blurts them all out (as he gets progressively intoxicated). He is also quite docile and actually looks and behaves very normally (inadvertently lulling the people around him into a false state of assurance)…at least until he starts doing some randomly questionable things in seemingly perfectly logical, matter-of-fact fashion, lol.

 _Tl;dr:_ this can be one really troublesome guy to take care of when drunk, haha.

 _Side note:_ I should also do a drunk!Rindou vignette one of these days, just to complete this set…!

 **Secundo:** This was partially inspired by a conversation that I had some time back with owo. I remembered that we were discussing the SnS volume extras, especially that one doodle where Rindou first discovered Eishi's 'White Knight of the Table' title from a magazine (which I still thought was really funny and adorable how she ran around so amused and proud of his moniker at the same time). That got me to thinking; what if the other way around was also true? Because I'm pretty sure that Eishi would likely be the first person Rindou would go to when it comes to sharing news like this…!

…This was also written in (half-hearted) protest of Rindou's canon moniker, _the Brave Barbarian_. I'm still trying to understand exactly what that's supposed to mean in reference to Rindou's cooking style. Yes, Rindou works with exotic ingredients and she is also really adventurous when it comes to trying out all sorts of food…but what's so barbaric about that again? In light of what we know of her, she seems more like a 'Brave Explorer' than a 'Brave Barbarian…?'

I also wonder if Rindou actually liked this title that she had been given. You don't really see her bringing it up _at all_ in canon – in fact, she seemed more interested in talking about the others, hence the conjecture I made that she might not be very impressed with her professional alias, ahaha.

Besides, think about it; what girl (or chef) would voluntarily want to be called a barbarian…? 'You cook like a barbarian' isn't exactly a compliment either…? I'm very puzzled. XD

 **Tertium:** I was filled with the urge to write silly/fluffy shojo-ish scenarios after reading a shojo series, and this was the result. Rindou, don't stick your tongue in people's mouth just to get at their candy!

 **sxXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 18 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	22. Chapter 22

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 8002

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 03/09/17

* * *

 **Textbook Perfect**

* * *

There is a subtle beauty in the mess of our lives.  
\- isabella

* * *

 **Prompt #01:** Anxiety - /æŋˈzaɪ ɪ ti/

 _noun  
_ 1\. distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.  
2\. earnest but tense desire; eagerness.  
3\. Psychiatry. a state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder.

* * *

He woke with a start, his heart beating uneasily in his chest, his stomach feeling like it was churning with anxiety, trying to flip itself inside out. It took him a while to register his surroundings. He was in bed. At home. Familiar, quiet surroundings. Early morning light starting to stream in through the windows. The faint sounds of birds chirping outside.

Tranquil. Peaceful.

Eishi stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to regather his thoughts, though his mind was still sluggishly struggling to untangle itself from the cobwebs of slumber, attempting to figure out the meaning of the strangeness that he had just roused from.

 _A dream._

…That was just a dream… _right_?

After what seemed like a few more minutes, he slowly rolled onto his side, stilling when his sleep fogged gaze landed on a human-shaped lump on the other half of the bed. The sequence of dream events, now starting to get fuzzier the longer he was awake, sparked through his mind once more, startlingly disorienting like the bulb of a camera flash. That disquieting distress echoed in him anew.

There was Rindou, her hair an obvious splash of red against the duvets. It was the only part of her that could be seen, since the rest of her was completely buried in the blanket burrito that she had situated herself in. The woman was such a blanket hog that they had to sleep with at least two comforters in bed, sometimes even more during the colder seasons.

Without hesitation, he reached out and shook her awake. She clung tenaciously to the last vestiges of her sleep, but he was very insistent and was not taking no for an answer. At last, hassled and disgruntled, she hissed and cracked open one golden eye.

"… _Wha_ -?"

It wasn't like him to disturb her like that, at least not when there was no immediately emergency and she wasn't late for her shoots- She turned her head towards the bedstand and squinted at the clock, just to reconfirm. _Yep_. No work today, so she could sleep in-

He cupped her cheeks and manually turned her head back towards him, looking a bit pale. _What was up with him._

"…Rindou. Rindou," his voice was hushed, and he sounded very urgent. In light of the tension in his voice, her cat slit gaze sharpened, focusing automatically on him, instinctively attempting to decipher the reason for his discomfiture. There was nothing out of the ordinary, so what was he so uneasy about?

"… _Name_ ," he blurted out then. "What's your name?"

She gave him a _long_ stare. He sure was being a bit stranger than usual this morning…

Rindou decided to play along, just to see what was going on. She pulled her arm free from her blanket burrito and gave him a small, lazy wave.

"… _Yo_. G'morning, Handsome Stranger whose bed I just woke up in," she greeted blandly. "Name's Kobayashi Rindou. Treat me kindly, yeah?"

He did not seem to react to her sass. If anything, his hands rested on her shoulders, and he looked at her, _hard_. She stared back at him blankly, wondering if perhaps he had fallen off the bed sometimes last night and hit his head or something…

"…Kobayashi. Not Tsukasa…?"

 _Eh?_

She must have taken a beat too long to reply, for he started to tense again.

"You're Kobayashi Rindou. Not Tsukasa Rindou," he asserted with unusual emphasis, and she blinked at him. Instead of stating it like a fact, he sounded more like he was seeking confirmation.

Rindou reached over to slap her palm over his forehead.

"Are you not feeling well?" she asked, starting to get a bit concerned. But no, he wasn't feverish. "What's wrong with you?"

Eishi shook his head and persisted in his series of (seemingly) illogical questions.

"Then we're not related…right?"

 _Huh?_

" _No_. We most definitely are _not_ related," she replied. "That'd be really strange seeing that you're my _boyfriend_ , dummy."

He paused at that.

"…Yeah. That'd be _really_ strange. You're right…"

He deflated comically then, all the tension finally bleeding out of him now that he had received his assurances. She continued to eye him bemusedly.

"So you wanna tell me what's gotten into you this morning?"

 _Oh_. Right. Without proper context, he must have been acting really weirdly from her point of view. His ears reddened faintly in chagrin.

He turned his head and planted his face into his pillow. This time, it was him who was taking too long to reply, and so she wiggled closer and started to poke him in the side.

"…I had a dream," he mumbled, embarrassed now for overreacting. "…it was very realistic. I was disoriented."

" _Uh-huh_. What's it about?" she asked, genuinely interested to know. She absently fingered the fine white hairs at his nape, and then the pads of her digits rubbed idly against the back of his skull, blunt nails lightly scratching his scalp. At this point of their lives, she had gotten very good at giving him the best scalp massages, because they tended to relax him…and it did. He sighed and shifted just a bit so that he could see her. She did not stop her ministrations, this gentleness something reserved only for him.

"We were back in Tootsuki again, students. Everything felt very real and vivid, almost exactly like how we remembered school. You were there, too. We were part of the Elite Ten once more."

She cocked her head. "That doesn't sound very traumatizing…" she pointed out. "Seems like you just took a walk down memory lane."

He hesitated, a bit.

"Y-Yeah, but there was also something that was different." He looked at her once more. "In my dream, I wasn't an only child. I, uh, had a sibling."

Rindou looked even more interested by this impromptu story telling session. " _Hah_. Another Tsukasa? What did they look like?"

"I had a younger sister… _you_."

The redhead had to pause at that. " _Me_? But I don't even look like you or your parents! Are you serious?" She was starting to grow amused.

Eishi gave his girlfriend a withering stare.

"It's not like I could control how my dream was supposed to unfold," he muttered. "Trust me, I was very confused myself."

Her lips twitched. _A-ha_. So now the frenetic questions from earlier were starting to make some sense.

"So what happened next?" she asked. "Was I a super awesome younger sister? Were you blown away with amazement? I'm very good at being a younger sister, you know," she bragged. "I mean, I've _only_ had a lifetime's worth of practice with four older brothers…"

As if he did not know _that_. He sighed. "Actually…you didn't really acted any differently from how we always interacted back then," he mumbled. _That_ was the scary part, since he had such trouble struggling to differentiate between dream and reality as a result. Come to think of it now, their relationship from back when they were still in high school could easily be construed as a familial/sibling type of bond…

Eishi was not sure what to do with his sudden revelation. He was quite discomfited, really.

"Then what's the problem?" she asked chirpily, untangling her fingers from his tousled hair to poke him in the side again.

He was very embarrassed, and turned his face back into his pillow…which only made her poke him more, until he could not take it any longer.

"Tell me!"

"S-Stop," he sputtered, gasping and flinching away when she targeted his ticklish spots. She attacked him gleefully, until he finally had the presence of mind to launch his own counterattack, rolling on top of her and pinning her, his hands ghosting along her sides in retaliation while she was squirming in bursts of startled laughter.

" _Hahh_ , it's too early for this," he complained, letting his weight drop on her when she finally gave in, feeling exhausted. "Why are you always like _this_?"

"Tell me," she insisted against him. He looked at her. There was a pause as he sobered a bit, carefully considering his response.

"…I hated it." There was a quiet vehemence in his voice that was quite unusual for him. Her glimmering cat slit gaze focused on him.

"Oh, c'mon. It can't be _that_ bad to be related to me."

Eishi would really beg to differ, apparently.

"It was _that_ bad." He wasted no time correcting her, and flatly though. "I'm completely traumatized…" His last words were muffled and unhappy, and he planted his face right in her chest.

"Hey! You're talking 'bout your girlfriend here!" She poked him. "What's so bad about being my brother, huh, _huh_?"

His hand reached out to catch hers, and then he lifted his head just a bit to give her a stare. It was a very serious, intent stare. "Because I don't _want_ to be your brother," he muttered, not sure how else to tell her how he had panicked because that dream had felt so _real_. He obviously still hadn't been able to shake off the vestiges of that dream yet, and talking about it was enough to upset him again. The feelings he had for her were _far_ from familial.

She seemed to be slowly getting what he was trying to say.

"…Soooo, you're the type to develop a sister complex, huh," she remarked, and he _choked_.

"I-It's n-not like I w-wanted-"

He stilled and his nervous words died in his throat when she lifted her head and brushed her lips teasingly against his own. "…Nii-chan."

She had to try hard not to snicker at the way his eyes widened, and then he silently turned so _red_ she could not help but really snigger out loud. "That's kinda kinky."

He groaned, and pressed his forehead against her shoulder. Maybe it was not such a great idea to share his experience with her… He had just shot himself in the foot and she was never going to let him hear the end of this.

She was laughing softly against him, and he could feel her lips ghost teasingly over his ear. He reddened even more, increasingly flustered. "R-Rindou," he protested shakily. The fact that she was making him excited made him feel even more frazzled and embarrassed. _This proved it._

"…Oh, gods. I'm a pervert." He sounded so honestly dismayed and grim-faced, like his life as an upstanding and moral citizen was over. His girlfriend did not share his distress, however. If anything, she cackled at his misery and stretched out beneath him, all feline-like and sinuous. She petted his cheek and smirked sassily.

"S'okay," she told him, grinning. "I don't mind. You can be as perverted as you want with me~"

He just stared at her happy offer. Her eyes twinkling, she was almost expectant, actually. He muttered in disbelief.

"…You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

She chuckled, snuggling into him.

"Kinda. But it's fine like this, isn't it~? O. Nii. Chan." The beautiful redhead nuzzled her boyfriend affectionately, and he was a bit dazed and also embarrassed, and his reaction only seemed to amuse her even more.

"…If you're going to give me names, can't you call me by something else?" he asked in a mumble, distracted as she was starting to turn into his neck and press kisses along the side of his throat. His arm slowly curled around her middle, drawing her close. That mouth of hers was going to be the death of him.

"Oh…?" Rindou ran her lips over his skin, delighting in the way his pulse fluttered in reaction to her ministrations. He was becoming increasingly restless, rattled and wired up…but so was she. His fingers curled, gently digging into the curve of her hips. "What kinda names are you thinking about? Beautiful lover? White knight in shining armor? …Scrumptious delicious thing that I like to put my mouth on?"

He was turning red again, and gasped when she nipped at his flesh in frisky seduction, just to demonstrate how much she enjoyed _him_. He didn't think that he would ever get over how she was able to articulate her affections towards him so openly and freely, without even any ounce of embarrassment or hesitation. He wanted to do the same, but the words refused to come out of him the way he needed them to, and so he just pressed his face into her hair. She hummed, happy to be curled up with him like this. They stayed like that for some time, content to share in each other's presence during a rare, lazy morning.

"Tsukasa?"

"…Yeah?"

"I'm glad that we're not related too. This really would have been very awkward otherwise."

"You're telling me."

"And I'd look _terrible_ with white hair."

"…"

"You can pull it off well enough, I s'pose, but I sure can't! Maybe you should be a Kobayashi instead. What do you think about having red hair?" Someone was starting to really warm up to this hypothetical situation, apparently.

 _What were they even discussing now,_ Eishi could not help but wonder.

"…Rindou?"

"Hm? … _What_?"

"…Let's just pretend that this conversation never happened."

" _Eh_?! Why?"

* * *

 **Prompt #02:** Battery - /ˈbæt ə ri/

 _noun  
_ 1\. Electricity. Also called galvanic battery, voltaic battery. a combination of two or more cell electrically connected to work together to produce electric energy.  
2\. any large group or series of related things: a battery of questions.  
3\. Military.  
\- two or more pieces of artillery used for combined action.  
\- a tactical unit of artillery, usually consisting of six guns together with the artillerymen, equipment, etc., required to operate them.  
\- a parapet or fortification equipped with artillery.

* * *

"I'm home~"

Eishi looked up from the book that he was reading, his pale lavender gaze shifting over to the entryway of the apartment where his partner had just stepped over the threshold, at the same time juggling her outer coat as well as her trolley luggage, her carryon, plus a few random odds and ends in bags that most probably contained some exotic ingredients or food souvenirs that she had hauled back from the foreign location she had gone off to shoot in this time.

He bookmarked the page and set the biography aside on the coffee table, standing up from the couch and padding over to where she was. He wasn't surprised by her homecoming; she had dropped him a text the moment she touched down – over time, she had become quite good at messaging him, just to ease his concerns. He had never really restricted her comings and goings in the first place – he only asked to know that she was safe.

"Welcome back," he greeted, reaching over to take her coat and luggage from her. She surrendered her things to him readily enough, kicking the door shut behind her and then plopping down on the step to remove her boots and replace them with indoor slippers instead. She wiggled her bare toes with relieved delight once she freed her feet from her outdoor footwear in favor of slipping them into the comfy ones of home. Standing up again, she nudged her shoes to the corner by the cabinet, turned and trotted after Eishi deeper into the apartment, happy to be home again after an entire hectic week working abroad.

Her bags had been set temporarily by the dining area, and already, Eishi was starting the process of unpacking, going through the motions automatically by now. He had always been the neater one out of the two of them, and besides, many hands made light work, and all that…

"How was your flight?" he asked as he reemerged from the laundry room, basket in tow. Having to unpack right after a long trip was always the bane of her existence, never mind that she should be used to it by now. Eishi really was godsend in this aspect, because if not for him, she would have put off the entire process and procrastinated for as long as she could.

"Flight was okay. A bit of turbulence but I slept through the whole thing. Luckily we managed to wrap up filming and get outta there before the typhoon hit, or we would have been stranded at the airport for god knew how long," she was telling him, at the same time heading to the open kitchen to rifle through the contents in the fridge in search of something to drink. She eventually settled for a glass of juice, leaning by the island counter and sipping her chilled refreshment as she watched her boyfriend open her luggage on the floor to pull out her laundry bag and start sorting through the mess that she had stuffed in there. She plopped down on the ground beside him and watched him do his thing. He was meticulous as always; while she would have just dumped out everything straight into the washing machine, he was carefully separating the various articles by color and type.

"Go bathe," he told her, seamlessly falling into the role of caretaker, though whether he did it consciously or not was something that was harder to tell. She wasn't an easy character to care for; in fact, most would not even dare try – but he still did his best, anyway. "The water in the furo's still warm."

"I'll go in a minute. I wanna recharge first."

And so she leaned into his side, sighing happily to be tucked in beside him, connected just for a little while.

"It feels good to be home," she declared, turning her face into the side of his neck and nuzzling him briefly. Just like that, he was distracted from his task by her spontaneous bout of affection, and responded by leaning ever so slightly into her as well, accepting and welcoming her presence. He turned his face a little and briefly nosed her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo, ghosting a kiss over her temple in return. She basked gleefully beneath his gentle ardor. There was no need for words, at least not at this moment. Later, she would probably chatter his ears off and tell him all about her adventures during her brief departure from his side, and he too would reciprocate with his own stories, though perhaps with less lively exuberance and more thoughtful, measured serenity. She had always been the better storyteller out of the two of them…but she still listened to whatever he had to say with fascinated interest, anyway.

It was in all the little things, the way this relationship worked. Give and take. Mutual sharing. Attention. Affection. Bit and pieces of each other…even well after the point where their lives had become so intertwined that it was impossible to unravel one from the other. A quiet homecoming in a long, long series of elated 'welcome homes' and wordless 'I missed yous.' Skinship and closeness; anticipating what was needed and then giving it so readily and intrinsically. This was a scene that was replayed so many times between them already; she always flew back to him no matter how far she wandered and always with a sweet trill of joy regardless of how tired she was whenever she crawled through the door, or how long he had to wait to see her again.

She called it _recharging_ , because he possessed this curious effect on her; effortlessly reenergizing her spirits with even more efficacy than a pure jolt of caffeine could.

Everyone should have their Tsukasa charger, Rindou could not help but think, amused with the idea.

Just not this one, though.

This one was _all_ hers.

"…Join me~?"

He paused at the soft, teasing lilt in her voice, how her gold slit eyes were dancing with friskiness.

"I can't be at two places at once, you know," he retorted as calmly as possible, by now getting more comfortable with the physical aspects of their relationship. His pulse betrayed his composure however, starting to flutter just a bit faster at the mere thought of being _with_ her. "You haven't eaten, right? Don't you want dinner?"

" _Eh?_ Why do I have to choose? I want dinner, _and_ I also most definitely want _you_ ," she insisted rather shamelessly, a perfect little catlike grin on her face. She butted her head against his shoulder, so pleased and happy to be home with him. Eishi would be lying if he claimed not to understand her sentiments. Her presence made him lightheaded sometimes. She was too bright, even.

"You're so demanding," he whispered in faint consternation. She responded with a sunny smirk and moved in a bit more to plant a smooch on his cheek. His ivory complexion started to flush, ever so faintly. She snickered. He could be so transparent, she thought not for the first time. Being with him had a way of making her heart feel like it was sitting too big in her chest sometimes, full and heavy and overflowing. She nuzzled him again with unabashed fondness.

"It's all your fault, because you always spoil me so," she replied, her voice light. "You need to take responsibility."

He looked at her, seriously.

"Don't I always?"

She laughed, and then she wasted no time climbing onto her feet and dragging him up with her. He put up token resistance, protesting a bit because the laundry was still not properly sorted yet and he wanted to have the load running in the washing machine first, but the redhead was already pushing him towards the bath.

"Nope! Your services are needed elsewhere, mister! Scrub my back for me first, and then I'll scrub yours~"

"W-Wait; do you mean that literally, or figuratively?"

"Why don't you get in there with me quick and find out~?"

* * *

 **Prompt #03:** Crawl - /krɔl/

 _verb (used without object)_  
1\. to move in a prone position with the body resting on or close to the ground, as a worm or caterpillar, or on the hands and knees, as a young child.  
2\. (of plants or vines) to extend tendrils; creep.  
3\. to move or progress slowly or laboriously.  
4\. to behave in a remorseful, abject, or cringing manner  
5\. to be, or feel as if, overrun with crawling things.  
6\. Ceramics. (of a glaze) to spread unevenly over the surface of a piece.  
7\. (of paint) to raise or contract because of an imperfect bond with the underlying surface.

 _verb (used with object)_  
8\. to visit or frequent a series of (especially bars): to crawl the neighborhood pubs.  
, spider. Digital Technology. to retrieve (data) from a website using a computer program, as in order to index web pages for a search engine:Search engines are constantly crawling the web.

 _noun_  
10\. act of crawling; a slow, crawling motion.  
11\. a slow pace or rate of progress.  
12\. Swimming. a stroke in a prone position, characterized by alternate overarm movements combined with the flutter kick.  
13\. Television, Movies. titles that slowly move across a screen, providing information.

* * *

He woke up that morning alone in bed. It was a bit disorienting, because he was usually the first to be up in this household.

But then again, the New Year period was probably the one holiday in the entire year where the restaurant would be closed; most of the time, public holidays were the busiest times for him and his crew. In Japan, thankfully, the eve as well as the first few days of the New Year were typically reserved for _family_.

…Still, it was rare for Rindou to be up before him, most especially since she, too, was not working today.

Eishi stared at the ceiling for a while, mentally getting his bearings before he slowly rose from bed. His white hair was tousled, and he was not entirely awake yet, though the muted sounds of what appeared to be the television playing quietly in the living room downstairs eventually drew his attention that he stood up and slowly wandered outside. Padding down the flight of stairs to the first level of the loft apartment, his sensitive senses picked up the smell of breakfast. Fueled by curiosity, Eishi followed his nose and turned down the hallway…towards the kitchen.

There was no one in there, but the work station showed signs of use. There was also a pot of miso soup gently simmering on the stove, and by the counter was a tray of cooked soba, drained and sitting beneath a semi-opaque dish cover, ready to be served. The buckwheat noodles looked normal enough, and so did the soup, actually. Then again, the one who had made them was Rindou, so perhaps this year's New Year Soba might be a bit _interesting_ …

Eishi backed out of the kitchen and headed for the living area next, where more obvious signs of life could be heard. He walked in on Rindou shortly…and his wife was up to something strange again, as always.

The redhead was still in her jammies, and she was also lying stretched out on the floor, on her stomach. Also on the same level as her but across the other side of the living room was their young son, the latter also attired in his nightclothes. Hi'en had mastered the art of sitting up on his own a month or so ago, but the young baby did not look very excited to be planted upright by his energetic mother first thing in the morning. The quiet, drowsy infant could have been off doing much better things - like sleeping, for one. His big, owlish gold slit eyes blinked hazily, absently tracking the bright splash of red in his vision that denoted his female parent.

It helped a bit that Rindou was also surrounded by all sorts of colorfully distracting baby toys and plushies, and most importantly, she also had a bowl of soba set right before her. On closer inspection, Eishi realized that Hi'en's attention seemed to be fixated on the spoon with a portion of carefully cut noodles being waved enticingly to attract his interest. _Bait._

… _Figures._

"En-chan," Rindou half sang, half coaxed her young child. "C'mere, I've got somethin' yummy for ya~"

…She was obviously trying to bribe Hi'en into action, and while she wasn't exactly _cheating_ , per se, it still gave her a bit of an unfair advantage, since the two co-parents were currently (unofficially) competing to see who would get their child to crawl first. She also still had not noticed his presence, it seemed, so focused on cajoling Hi'en.

Eishi was faintly exasperatedly. And also, amused.

"C'mon, En-chan, work those little paddlers! …Come to mommy!" Rindou wheedled, though the little baby in question seemed more fascinated with sticking his fingers into his mouth at the moment. "No. _Nooo_ , En-chan! The yummy is here…!"

Rindou wiggled forward, a bit closer to Hi'en, stretching out even more with the spoonful of noodles to tempt the baby. The little redhead paused in his gumming and drooling to blink at his mother. He tilted his head, and seemed to be moderately interested in her once more. Encouraged, Rindou cooed and emitted a variety of noises to keep his attention. Parenthood, as Rindou was quickly learning thus far, consisted of a lot of unintelligible animal sounds and funny faces as well as the constant hope that one's progeny would take pity on their silly parents and play along with their antics…

Hi'en slowly removed his chubby fist from his mouth. He looked curiously at his mother, and then his golden gaze slid a bit higher up and back…to where his father stood unobtrusively in the back, leaning against the wall of the hallway leading to the living room. The white haired man tipped his head to the side, and Hi'en mimicked the motion. Eishi's lips twitched.

His presence remained unbeknownst to Rindou, and she sat up, her legs folded in lotus, an enthused sound escaping her. "En-chan! Crawl, c'mon my little man! Crawl to mommy~! You can do it! C'mere, puppy!"

The baby looked like he was actually considering and weighing the merits of heading towards his excitable mother…who was currently gesturing and making a lot of fuss and noise which he did not entirely comprehend. A little frown grew between his brow, and he hesitated uncertainly.

Eishi pushed away from the wall then, and he padded forward to join his co-parent. He crouched, and sat on the floor beside Rindou, who glanced at him, just a bit startled by his unannounced presence. She turned her attention back to their child soon enough, and so did Eishi.

"En, come here." His voice was soft as he stretched one hand out towards their son, coaxing.

Hi'en considered his parents. He waved his fists in the air; now there were the double the reasons for him to _move_. He emitted an enquiring little gurgle. But his parents weren't going to him, much to his confusion. If anything, they were staying put…and the young infant eventually figured out that he would have to _go_ to them. He was intrigued by the idea, and he started to look a bit more excited…which made his mom excited too. Rindou all but lit up once she noted that they had Hi'en's full attention.

"En-chan, En-chan, En-chan~!" she was all but singing his name in chorus, becoming a one woman cheering squad. "C'mere, baby! You can do it!"

They had been encouraging Hi'en towards his next milestone for a while already, and indeed, the baby was not entirely unready…though whether he wanted to actually do it was another matter altogether.

Hi'en leaned forward and plopped his little hands on the floor, steadying himself, his attention affixed on his parents. After many false starts over the last month or so, it seemed like he was indeed ready to _go_. There wasn't really any fanfare or dramatic struggle with this child, either. Instinct set in, the infant lifted his diaper clad bottom off the ground, and off he went.

He was a bit wobbly at first – balancing on three chubby limbs while on the move was quite the challenge for a little baby, it seemed, but then he gained more confidence, or to be more precise, he _finally_ caught onto a bit of his mother's enthusiasm _after_ an hour or so of her cajoling, and he waddled clumsily forward…only to slow down, briefly perplexed as he looked at both visibly excited parents, both holding out their arms towards him.

"En, over here."

"En-chan, my handsome, amazing, awesome little puppy! Come to mommy!"

The tiny redhead looked from his father to his mother…and then back again. His confusion grew. He stopped, bewildered. _Where was he supposed to go, again…?_

Rindou groaned. "Noooo, En-chan! Don't stop…!"

Her dismay made Hi'en frown unsurely again. He much preferred it when his parents were smiling at him. So…the baby did the only thing that made the most sense to him.

…The baby sat down heavily, briefly startling himself…and then he started to scoot _backwards_ , carefully scooching on his padded behind and undoing his progress until he was back at his original starting point. To say that the expressions on his parents' faces became rather comical would be an understatement.

"…"

" _Ahhh_! En-chan, you're going in the wrong direction…!"

The tiny redhead promptly decided that he had worked very hard to entertain his parents already – being a baby was very exhausting! He lowered his tired limbs and flopped on his belly, and then he flailed and kicked his little feet against the ground until the momentum ensured that he executed a perfect rollover onto his back. Once settled in his favorite position, no amount of cajoling from the parental units could convince the baby to regain his previous motivation thereafter.

Crawling would happen someday…just not today, it seemed.

Giving up (for now), the young mother padded over to pick up her son and proceeded to smother the mewing baby with affectionate hugs and kisses.

Eishi glanced at Rindou, who instead of being put out by this setback, looked rather fired up for some reason. She was also muttering something about training for the diaper derby (?)…and the white haired man wisely decided that he probably should not interfere in her lofty plans...

"…En's just as good as you are when it comes to taking instructions, though," he commented idly. The amazing thing was the complete lack of sarcasm in his even, mild mannered observation…yet his meaning was received loud and clear. Eishi had a penchant for obliviously delivering politely passive insults, though in his defense, most of the time, his commentaries were just that…and he _really_ bore no intent of malicious ill will or criticism. _That whole mess with Kuga years back was one of many examples of unwitting miscommunication…_

However, just because the man was the kind to unknowingly insert his foot into his mouth did not mean that his wife was anymore amused by his honest (but questionably tactful) opinion.

" _Hey_!"

* * *

 **Prompt #04:** Daughter - /ˈdɔ tər/

 _noun_  
1\. a female child or person in relation to her parents.  
2\. any female descendant.  
3\. a person related as if by the ties binding daughter to parent: daughter of the church.  
4\. anything personified as female and considered with respect to its origin.  
5\. Chemistry, Physics. an isotope formed by radioactive decay of another isotope.

 _adjective_  
6\. Biology. pertaining to a cell or other structure arising from division or replication: daughter cell; daughter DNA.

* * *

"Tsukasaaaaa~" the expectant mother of his children sang out one evening, just after Hi'en has been put to bed and he had barely had the chance to settle onto the settee. Rindou was already lounging there like a radiant queen, absently stroking her softly swelling belly even as she regarded her husband with sparkling slit pupiled eyes.

"…Yes?" He sounded faintly apprehensive. Nothing good ever came out of any situation whenever she lilted his name like that and looked at him so sweetly like butter would not melt on her tongue.

"Thanks for tucking En-chan to bed. He's been fussy lately. I think he wants your attention more."

The eighteen-month-old had only recently started discovering the joy of running – and that was after a few months of figuring out how to walk properly. That had been a hilarious period of time for Rindou. Like all babies who were just slowly getting around to discovering their developing motor ability, Hi'en was quite clumsy at first and he often fell a lot at the beginning. Whenever that happened, that round little face of his would screw up as he tried his hardest not to give into the tears, and he just looked so gosh darned adorable that his mother would immediately sweep his trembling form up into her arms and smother his face with kisses. She also really liked to poke at his cherubic cheeks and ask him at least ten times a day how it was possible that he was soooo _cute_ , and he would look at her with those large golden eyes as she chattered to him on and on as if he could understand everything that she was saying, with a calm solemnity that was very much like Tsukasa.

Perhaps all that excitable, energetic fawning from his mother could be overwhelming at times for the young toddler, so whenever his male parent was around, Hi'en took to trailing the quieter adult instead. Rindou was a bit jealous of how her son seemed to prefer his father's company whenever that option was available, but then again, she liked to bug Tsukasa too whenever she had nothing much to do, so perhaps this was a case of 'like mother, like son?'

Tsukasa certainly did not seem to mind. It was fascinating watching Hi'en figure out how the world worked. The young boy was very observant of the people around him, and he often tried to mimic what he saw. He did not always succeed, and when the results he wanted took too long to come into fruition (or failed to do so completely), the hints of a very Rindou-like sulk would start to brew in those wide, golden eyes…and then he would start wailing and throwing things.

…They were still in the process of teaching him _not_ to bean unsuspecting visitors in the face with his sippy cup. If anything, the child's hand-eye coordination was startlingly accurate. His parents were starting to think that perhaps their son would enjoy a successful career in basketball when he grew up. That, or an assassin sniper.

Rindou slithered over to Eishi, reaching for him. Her arm looped around his; she leaned into his side and softly dropped a kiss on his neck, nuzzling him fondly as she went along. The casual abundance of affection exuding from her was nothing new to him, but that was not to say that they weren't fully appreciated all the same. A happy, contented Rindou was a demonstrative, loving Rindou; that had always been the case for as long as he had known her, and the most surprising thing was it usually did not take much to keep her in that state…if one knew how to satisfy her demands, that was...

The white haired male leaned back into his seat and watched his mate from the corner of his eye. She was a very attractive woman, even while six and a half months pregnant. That mischievous twinkle in her catlike eyes, that feline sensuality in her graceful movements and demeanor…she had always been an intriguing, sexy creature to watch.

The beautiful redhead nipped his jawline softly, all sweet smelling, beguiling, feminine warmth, nestling up beside him.

"Will you put me to bed next, _hm_? …I'm wanting your attention more, also~" she drawled teasingly, her fingers stroking his arm in a rather amorous, distracting manner. Now that Hi'en was off in dreamland, the PG-13 censorship was disintegrating, fast. Rindou slid onto Eishi's lap, curling her arms around his neck, trailing her mouth along the side of his throat, stretching out over him with a languid possessiveness that silently claimed him as _hers_. It was impossible not to notice the mesmerizing curves of her body, the enticing fullness of her breasts as she pressed softly into him. His hand drifted up on its own accord, resting against her hip, and he turned his face towards her, responding to her provocative ministrations. His arm snaked around her expanding middle, holding her close, his lips brushing wordlessly against hers, eliciting a quiet gasp from her when he parted them and gently bit down on her tender flesh.

" _Husband_ ," Rindou whispered against his mouth, squirming a bit against him. "I've a great _need_ for you right now…"

She had always been frisky and playful around him, and that trait of hers was present even now when she was well into her second trimester of her pregnancy. Whenever she sought attention or needed to be _loved_ , to him she would instinctively turn to. It was only natural. He was her partner; best friend, lover, husband, co-parent. She did not have to be anything more than herself with him and he would still be mesmerized by her, and she was confident when it came to their shared bond, forged and strengthened over many, many years of enduring friendship and learning about each other. He never turned her away or denied her, and he had always been very willing to spoil her with his faithful, patient ardor. This time was no different. Just as he had a way of tempering her vivacious, tempestuous spirit, she too possessed that effortless ability to stir him up.

Eishi turned his head a little and trailed his lips along her cheek and down the line of her jaw, mimicking her actions. He pressed his face into the side of her neck, lingering, ticklish butterfly kisses that made her shiver and tighten her fingers into the front of his shirt, arching a bit to expose more of her throat, liking the quiet, deliberate way he lavished his affection on her. He marked her gently with his teeth, nipping at where the jut of her collarbone stood out invitingly, and she jumped at bit, sighing with delight when his tongue darted out to run over the faintly reddened flesh, soothing it before he continued to leave a soft trail of flowering pinks on the canvas of her flesh.

" _Ow_."

She tensed suddenly. "Owowow."

He paused in his ministrations, lifted his head briefly just in time to see a grimace cross her face. He was faintly perplexed - he hadn't really bitten her _that_ hard...

...Then, Eishi realized belatedly that it wasn't him that was the cause of her discomfort, especially when she pulled away from him slightly, her hand moving from his chest to cradle the pronounced swell of her belly, palm splayed as if trying to relieve the ache. She twitched, the earlier amorous and playful mood dissipating as the little human being that she was growing decided that it would be a good idea to start a party in her mother's womb.

It wasn't the first time. The little fetus had been increasingly hyperactive as she grew bigger and stronger, safely protected within the nurturing body of her female parent, much to said parent's chagrin. Lately, all that prenatal activity had gotten so disruptive at times that the poor redhead could not even sleep or eat well.

"Are you alright?" Eishi asked, concerned as Rindou started to rub her stomach ruefully. There really wasn't much he could do to alleviate the problem of their unborn child inciting a riot inside of Rindou, other than serving as an empathizing husband and fetching whatever she demanded and generally being as accommodating and supporting a partner as he possibly could. He had been quite alarmed when she had rejected some of the meals he had made for her - Rindou NEVER turned down food as a general rule of thumb - though no amount of insisting or cajoling on his end could convince her to finish her meal. The only thing his pushiness had gotten out of her was grumpy annoyance and an almost fulfilled threat to puke on him, though.

"Geeze, I swear this kid has been doing nothing but barrel rolls and loop-de-loops inside of me," Rindou complained as she started to wiggle off Eishi's lap. The spontaneous romantic mood from before had faded away just as quickly as it had come, and Eishi sighed, letting her go. She settled gingerly into his side instead, and the white haired male curled his arm around his wife's swollen middle. He brushed a sympathetic kiss over her twitching temple as his hand casually settled over the small of her back, fingertips tracing and identifying the clusters of taut, strained muscles located there, paining her. He started to slowly knead at her sore flesh. After a while, she melted into him, pressing into his large palm heavily in a bid to relieve more of that persisting ache. Growing a baby was exhausting, backbreaking work.

"Ooh, that feels _amazing_ ," the redhead groaned, her golden eyes slipping shut with bliss. "You're becoming really good at this- _Ow_!"

Her sudden yelp and jerk startled Eishi as well, and the faintly uncomfortable grimace was back on her face again. This time, he did not need any other cue to identify the troublemaker. His hand reached over and cupped her stomach, displacing hers; this would not be the first time he had felt his children kicking against his wife's belly from _inside_ of her, but every time he did, it never failed to incite a sense of pure _wonder_.

This here was his daughter, knocking on Life's door.

She might just be knocking a bit too hard and frenetically for her poor mother to handle at the moment, though.

" _Ah_ , I take back all the bragging I've ever done about this second pregnancy being a breeze!" Rindou gasped when yet another particularly jarring, sharp spike of pain echoed from her protesting sides. Not all pregnancies were made equal, the young expectant mother was very quickly starting to realize. Just because it had been a walk in the park with Hi'en did not mean that baby number two would be as similarly obliging. _Ow_ … Was she even going to be able to retire to bed peacefully tonight like this?

Eishi could only silently sympathize with Rindou's growing discomfort. The poor woman looked increasingly miserable, and he felt rather helpless…though _maybe_ he could try something…

He drew back a bit, repositioning himself, leaning over so that he was on eye level with Rindou's belly. She stilled to watch him, wondering what he was up to. Now, he had both hands resting over her middle like a fortune teller trying to divine the future with a crystal ball, the crystal ball in this case being her unruly stomach. He paused briefly, palms splayed out, waiting-

And then, sure enough-

 _Kick_. _Kick, kick_. **Kick**.

The quick series of actions from the energetic fetus nestled within Rindou fluttered vigorously against the flat of Eishi's hand. The last kick in particular was strong enough that the father thought that he could flittingly feel the imprint of a whole little foot pressing against his palm through the skin of Rindou's stomach, just for a few milliseconds. The redhead sighed, reluctantly resigning herself to the idea that she was raising the next Capoeira World Champ in her stomach. Eishi, on the other hand, could not help but smile at the lively, spirited nature of the yet unborn child. She was still months away from being ready, but it seemed like she was already impatient to be born, eager to greet her parents. Even though Rindou would beg to differ, Eishi thought that it was endearing.

 _Like mother, like daughter, after all._

He softly tapped his fingers on the spot where the little one had kicked at him earlier. He shifted closer, pressing his ear against the side of Rindou's belly, listening carefully.

"…Hello, baby. Can you hear me? It's Papa. I felt you. Were you saying hello too?" he spoke quietly, tenderly. His pale lavender gaze was unconsciously warm, watching for movement. His long, lean fingers gently stroked Rindou's stomach at the same time, his voice and mild, calm demeanor relaxing both mother and child.

"I know it's dark and scary in there, but you're alright. It's okay; you're safe. We'll protect you, so please grow up well and healthy. We're looking forward to seeing you soon. You mustn't bully Mommy so much. Mommy is in pain; baby, can you calm down?"

He continued to speak to Rindou's stomach in that soft, measured cadence, and even Rindou was bemusedly mesmerized by his tone, as he proceeded to carry out an entire conversation with their youngest child. And the thing was, amazingly enough, his method was _working_ , for the growing fetus grew less restless, and eventually settled down to the sound of her father's voice, even though she had no way of understanding what he was telling her. Rindou was very relieved. She was also really impressed.

When Eishi finally straightened up again, she blurted out.

"I'm married to a baby whisperer."

Eishi was vaguely embarrassed. His cheeks tinted faintly pink, and his mouth opened.

"Wha-"

He didn't have time to say anything else, for she struck with the speed of a viper. For someone who was heavily pregnant, she could really _move_ when she wanted to. The beautiful redhead grabbed her husband by the ears, reeled him in, and planted a hungry smooch on him. By the time she peeled herself from his lips a few minutes later, he was breathing hard and _still_ surprised, not entirely sure what had just happened.

"It's probably my hormones going all out of whack right now, but you being all paternal and reassuring is very, irresistibly _sexy_ ," she told him frankly.

He gawked a bit at her blunt remark, flushing.

"O-Okay…?"

"If I'm not already preggo, I think I'd wanna make another kid with you. _Right now_."

"I… U-Uh-"

She nuzzled him and nipped at his jaw, amorously affectionate once more.

"I'm so glad I married you."

He was bowled over by her sudden mood swing… Yet he could not deny the ring of truth in her earnest effervescent words.

"…Rindou."

"You're the best husband _ever_ ," she continued to effuse, and he would be lying if he claimed not to be affected by her praise.

"R-Rindou."

"I'll _never_ marry anyone else!" she declared, still deeply immersed her monologue.

"I would certainly hope not," he muttered. "And Rindou?"

" _What_?" She finally looked at him.

"…You can just tell me that you love me, you know. We're married, like you already so helpfully pointed out. Until death do us part and all that."

She, amusingly enough, _flushed_. She also hurriedly pushed away from him, now flustered like a cat about to be hauled off for a bath.

" _Huh_! W-Why do I have to do that? And you know what? I kinda have to go pee right now so we should pick this up again some other time!"

It would have been the perfect end to the conversation he was trying to bring up if not for the dilemma that the pregnant woman had suddenly found herself in.

Rindou was _stuck_.

The couch was deep seated and very comfy and soft, and no matter how she strained she could not quite pitch her center of gravity over enough to counter the weight of her ever growing belly in a way that would enable her to heave herself upright. _Crud._

Eishi just watched her struggling to stand up with polite interest, but unfortunately for the poor redhead, all that flailing was to no avail. At last, she turned to him with a red face and muttered.

"…I can't get up."

" _Pfft_." The soft laugh that escaped him at her mortified response made her glower at him.

"You know, you're being really unsexy right now."

"It's okay." He had to struggle to keep a straight face even as he stood up and went over to rescue her. She was sulking again and being really _cute_. "I've got a really adoring wife who thinks that I'm god's gift to womankind so I'm all set."

"I never said anything like that!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Themes and notes for the four prompts are as follows:

 **Anxiety:** Have any of you ever experienced dreams that felt so real and disconcerting that when you wake up, you are just completely disoriented for a moment and cannot tell fiction apart from reality? This prompt was partially inspired from that strange and unsettling déjà vu-ish feeling. It is also partly inspired from the understanding that close-knit couples who are very comfortable and open with each other often have the (best and random) weirdest conversations together – don't even fight me on this! I mean, if you can't share/explore weird thoughts with the person whom you're going to spend the rest of your life with, what even are you doing, right?

Incest (pseudo or otherwise) is not a theme I'm particularly interested in _but_ I was struck by the random idea of how terrifyingly confusing (and awkwardly agonizing) it would feel to wake up one day to an upside-down alternate universe where the love of your life has suddenly turned into a sibling instead, so I wanted to explore that line of thought in some form! Hence why we ended up with a poor, traumatized Eishi in this one, lol! Though I don't feel too bad since Rindou just rolled with the punches as always, and that easygoing casualness of hers probably also helped a lot to settle Eishi's rattled nerves faster, haha.

 **Battery:** Skinship with someone you love can really recharge you and perk you up even when you're dead on your feet. This is a tried and tested solution! 10/10 would recommend! Hug your best friend! Hug your boy/girlfriend/husband/wife! Hug your family! Hug your dog! Hug yourself!

Also partially inspired by the mental imagery of bathtime!EiRin taking turns scrubbing each other's backs in the wash area by the furo and Rindou just chattering Eishi's ears off, as always!

 **Crawl:** One day, the random mental imagery of Rindou enticing Hi'en to crawl to her with a piece of pizza just floated into my mind and refused to go away until I wrote the idea down. I don't know why the pizza turned into soba and why there was also an EiRin competition to see who would get Hi'en crawling first, but there you go. Most of my imaginations and plot ideas tend to get somewhat distorted by the time they are turned to words, haha.

 **Daughter:** Fluffy preggo!EiRin bonding! 'Nuff said!

 **sxXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 23 y.o., 24 y.o., 25 y.o., 26 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	23. Chapter 23

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4936

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/09/17

* * *

 **Regiment Shokugeki: Interludes**

* * *

He already knew who was on the other side of the door even before he went to answer it. There was only one person who would be knocking so loudly and frenetically outside the unit of his hotel room at ten in the evening, and so he wasn't entirely surprised by the unannounced nighttime visit. At this point, he could already anticipate the random whims and moods of his visitor with a reasonable degree of accuracy – they had known each other for years, after all.

Rindou fell right across the threshold unceremoniously when Eishi finally opened the door. She bumped straight into him, righted herself and slipped around him into his room with all the casual nonchalance and familiarity of someone who was used to freely coming in and out of her best friend's private domain.

"Geeze, Tsukasa – how long does it take you to just stroll over and open the door?"

"I was getting ready for bed…" he trailed off in response to her impatient greeting, watching as she marched deeper into his suite. She was already poking around his things and seemed to be looking for something. "Er. Can I help you, Rindou?"

He shut the door and wandered after her. "You should retire early tonight too. Tomorrow's going to be a long, exhausting day."

Tomorrow, Central would come out in full force to meet the challenge of the Rebels in the series of Regiment Shokugeki. Rindou was already building up her tension; she was all but vibrating with excitement and anticipation. Their opponents were a spirited and feisty bunch that would not be easy to beat and she was looking forward to an adrenaline filled, exciting tournament ahead.

"Quick; what are you wearing tomorrow? I wanna check something!" She was already going right ahead to open his wardrobe and poke her head into the rack of clothes that he had unpacked earlier that evening.

"Oh, I forgot." She turned to him and bowed politely. "Pardon my interruption."

He was vaguely exasperated by her antics. "Why are you saying that _after_ you just went and did whatever you wanted, anyway…?"

Sure enough, she was already turning back to the open cupboard and pulling out his uniform. "Ah! I knew it! This is bad!"

"What is bad?"

"Your uniform is all white!" she exclaimed.

"Yes…?"

"Well, mine looks the same as yours…only it's black!"

He did not understand her concern at all. His uniform had always been white. "…And?"

"We look like a pair of gatekeepers! Or matching bookends! Don't stand next to me tomorrow or I'm gonna be very distracted-"

He was nonplussed by this pressing concern of hers. One would think that she'd have more important things to be worried about – such as their opponents in the upcoming bout, for one – but as usual she was marching to the beat of her own drum.

"…I… _uh_ …okay…?"

She was satisfied by his easy agreement. In fact, she was so pleased that she went right over to him to pat him happily on the shoulder. "Awesome! 'Kay, I'mma leave you be to your sleeping beauty rituals now, Tsukasa! Catch ya later, alligator!"

She seemed very amused by her private joke, and just as quickly as she had blown into his room, she was gone, leaving him behind feeling very bemused and bewildered by the entirely random encounter.

Eishi thought not for the first time that even though he did not understand a thing of what had just transpired, she did make him understand _why_ storms were named after women…

* * *

The next day, they met in the waiting lounge of the competition hall. Rindou was all hyped up and ready to go, pacing around the holding area like a restless feline while they waited for the others to slowly trickle in. They were both already in their uniforms. Eishi was in the process of trying to settle into his meditative pre-battle state of focus…but his redheaded companion was making it next to impossible for him to do so, prowling up and down the length of the room, all strung up with vibrating anticipation and bright-eyed eagerness.

"Will you calm down?" he asked her at last, distracted by all that thrumming, pent up energy of hers. She was raring to go and could hardly wait for the Shokugeki to start. As always, she was very energetic, all bright eyed and bushy tailed.

"Nope!" She rejected his hopeless appeal from the get go, abruptly affixing her cat slit eyes on him then, as if suddenly remembering that he was here, too. "Who calms down right before a competition? You need to get your blood boiling hot and ready to take on the opposition, Tsukasa! We need to go in with impact! Like this!" Just to demonstrate how hot-blooded she was feeling, she pounded her fist into the heart of her other palm with a resounding, resolute _thwock_. She also marched over to the couch where he was sitting and slapped his back a couple of times in an effort to get him fired up. He was not particularly enthused despite her actions, unfortunately.

" _Hey_! Can you at least look more spirited, please?"

Eishi finally relented and let his actual thoughts show on his face. However, there really wasn't too much fiery enthusiasm showing on his aristocratic features. If anything, he looked somewhat glum and put out instead by all the needless fuss.

"This whole thing is very troublesome," he muttered in faint disgruntlement. " _Hahh_ , I already feel tired just having to go through all the prep work for this event. Why are we still having to compete even now? I thought the whole reason we joined Central was so that there'd be no more cooking challenges being thrown about every which way. Why is Tootsuki always so dramatic? I just want my last semester in high school to end on a relatively peaceful and fuss-free note, is that so hard to ask…?" The First Seat was almost whining depressively towards the end, and his Second Seat stared at him, unimpressed by his wavering resolve.

"What are you, an old man on the verge of retirement?" she asked him flatly, and then she smacked him across his back once more, just to pep him up. He ended up withering even more instead, much to her vague annoyance. " _Oi_! This is probably our last big Shokugeki before we graduate, so we gotta go out with a bang and not a whimper, Tsukasa! Don't wimp out on me again, will ya? Straighten up! Be more excited! _Ex-ci-ted_!"

The white haired male looked like he'd rather have his teeth pulled. "But you're already excited enough for the whole team…" Eishi uttered to the unamused girl, and he changed the subject. "…By the way, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay! I, Kobayashi Rindou, am _very_ okay! The _most_ okay!" she declared brashly, though he continued to eye her exuberance in an uninspired manner.

"…Really? You don't feel cold or anything?" he asked with faint skepticism. She had been complaining about the freezing Hokkaido weather ever since they made their way through the wintry landscape via rail to reach the competition ground. His matter-of-fact question took some of the wind out of her sails, just a little bit. She plopped down beside him, huffing.

"Well, yeah… I'm cold…" she admitted reluctantly, not willing to give into this morale dampening side effect. She pumped her fist, gold eyes glowing with determination. It almost looked like there were embers sitting in those pupiled depths. "But my spirit is burning hot right now, _oraa_! So I'll be fine!"

Eishi did not look like he was entirely inclined to believe in her enthusiastic display of morale, though before he could express his doubts, she was already preoccupied with something else. To be more precise, Rindou had turned her attention to putting up her hair…or at least she was trying to. She was so keyed up at the moment that even her fingers were shaking with nerves and anticipation for the upcoming matches, and they kept slipping as she tried futilely to bind up her long, flaming mane with the black neckerchief that had come together with the rest of her uniform.

Eishi watched her struggle and mutter under her breath, her patience growing shorter and shorter, until at last-

" _Aish_! There's something wrong with this tie!" It didn't take long for her keen eyes to light on his neck cloth, perfectly identical as hers only colored white instead of black, and she was quickly struck by an Idea™. Her companion took one look at that unholy glint in her slit gold gaze and immediately felt a cold chill of foreboding creep down his spine. Unconsciously, he started to edge away from her but it was too late.

"Tsukasa, let's switch!"

"E-Eh? But I already put on mine-" he protested, not that his weak objections had deterred her any. She leaned over as he veered away, her hand reaching for the snowy cravat, and he sputtered in dismay and rising fluster when she all but crawled over him to keep him from wiggling away from this awkward situation like a flopping trout.

"Don't be so stingy! You gotta share the good stuff too! So take it off, now!"

It was to the resounding ring of this morally ambiguous and greatly misleading demand, as well as to the suspicious sight of the Second Seat pinning the First Seat down on the couch and in the process of stripping him (of his tie) that Etsuya and Nene arrived. The two Second Years stared briefly, though to their credit, neither appeared particularly scandalized by the suggestively racy scene playing out before them. The two leaders of the Elite Ten were known to share an…interesting relationship, after all.

Rindou caught sight of her kouhai and immediately called for backup. "Eizan! Get your butt over here and help me!"

"I'm not getting involved in whatever weird pre-competition mating ritual that you two have," the _Alquimista_ muttered in flat refusal. This idiotic pair was up to their usual nonsense and he really did not see any value (for himself) in contributing to the ensuing chaos. The Seventh Seat slouched over to the other end of the large room to claim the other settee, sitting down and stretching out nonchalantly like the arrogant hooligan that he was.

Nene primly pushed the frames of her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose. "…Rindou-senpai," she observed logically. "Perhaps you should consider accosting Tsukasa-senpai's virtue _after_ the event. Doing this sort of thing before a competition can be really distracting."

"Huh? Accos-whaaa?" Rindou was more interested in stealing Eishi's neckcloth than in molesting him, actually. Fortunately for her agenda, the white haired male remained frozen beneath her, completely bewildered by this series of events. He also kept his hands firmly by his sides, acutely aware of their relative proximity to each other and knowing that it would be a _bad_ idea to touch her, even if it was just to lift her off of him.

Rindou's brows furrowed.

"But I wanna do it _now,_ or there won't be any meaning afterwards!"

Eishi choked. _This woman._ "Just take the tie," he frantically blurted out at last, his ears already turning red with chagrin and embarrassment. _Really, there has to be a limit to how oblivious she can be!_

But of course she was dense as a brick whenever it came to things that she had no interest whatsoever in.

"Don't mind if I do!" the redhead chirped, deft, slender fingers unknotting the white cravat and stealing it from him. But Rindou was also not one to take without giving back…which was why Eishi promptly found her neckerchief being looped around his neck in return, and he could only sit there as she expertly retied the black cloth with swift, ergonomic grace – not too tight that he felt restricted, just loose enough the way he always preferred it.

"Okie dokie, you're all good now." She patted him affectionately on the shoulder and slipped blithely off his lap, her prize in hand. She waved to Kinokuni to get her attention. "Nene, Nene! Help me! My hair's not staying up the way I want it to! How do you get yours looking so neat and tidy all the time? Seriously, who do I have to sacrifice to have this kind of effortless skill at my fingertips-"

While Rindou had bounded off to hassle her junior, Etsuya clicked his tongue at the First Seat. The younger male was rude and disrespectful, but then again, it wasn't as if this senior of his would do anything to rebuke him. The guy was wimpy as always everywhere else _except_ in the realm of cooking. There, where it really mattered, he was _untouchable_.

But for _now_ …

"She really has you collared good, hasn't she?" the blond yankee commented. Amazingly enough, the woman in question had _no idea_. Etsuya would pity Eishi more, but the latter was just too strong to waste such sentiments on, irritatingly deceptive appearance aside. " _Masochist_."

"…" The White Knight's response was to bury his face in his hands in resignation. He could not even refute the other's statement.

"Tsukasa, why on earth are you spacing out over there for?" the main source of his problems asked bluntly short moments later, now returned with her hair neatly bound in a high, bouncy ponytail the way she wanted it. "Let's switch our aprons also, so take that off too!"

She looked like she was going to reach over to his waist and help him herself _again_ , but he spluttered and held her off.

" _Rindou_!"

* * *

"Are you okay, Tsukasa?" Saitou asked as they were getting ready to move towards the competition arena, an hour later. "You appear a bit warm under the collar. You should try doing morning ablutions. The icy spring water will clear your mind and harmonize your energy."

"I appreciate your sentiments, Somei…but if I perform morning ablutions the way you do, the only thing I'll get is pneumonia," Eishi uttered, already feeling vaguely exhausted at the moment, and this Shokugeki hadn't even began. _What a drag..._ "I'll be fine. I've had some time earlier to pull myself together, and besides, we won't be the ones kicking off the first bout in this Regiment Shokugeki anyway."

Kinokuni appeared before the two Third Years. "We've a problem," she told them seriously. "Rindou-senpai's all frozen up again."

The two Central members turned to stare at him, and Eishi was exasperated by their wordless expectation for him to do _something_.

"…Why do all of you always come to me every time there's a Rindou related incident?" he asked rhetorically. Even so, he was already standing up from the couch and moving towards the corner of the room where Rindou had finally settled down after all that irrepressible energetic activity and fuss from earlier. The other two tailed him companionably. In a complete one eighty, the Second Seat was now very quiet, huddled in a little ball and shivering like a sorry looking kitten. The White Knight sighed, not entirely surprised by this recurring sight. "I _told_ her not to overdo it…"

"Ah, the coldness got to Kobayashi again," Saitou observed.

"Yes…it's apparently too cold while we were getting here…" Nene concurred.

Eishi glanced at the wall clock. "It's almost time for us to enter the hall."

There was no helping it. He broke out the portable electric heater. And the heat packs. Eishi blithely went through all the motions like he had done them before a million times.

Rindou defrosted like a reptile slowly coming out of winter hibernation. She stopped shivering first, color gradually returning to her pale cheeks, and after a while, she slowly blinked, coming back to her senses bit by bit. Situational awareness kicked in shortly after, and she licked her dry lips.

Eishi poured her a warm cup of tea made with the kettle of water sitting on top of the heater and handed it to her. She clutched onto the drink like a lifeline and sipped noisily from the cup like a satisfied old man.

"What happened to all that burning hot spirit of yours?" he asked blandly, subtly needling her in return for all the grief that she had put him through earlier, this unruly and rambunctious woman.

She gave him a gimlet stare over the rim of her steaming cup.

 _Ooh_ , he could be so irritating at times, rubbing salt into people's wounds in that casual, nonchalant way of his…!

* * *

It was happening. It was happening _now_.

She was all keyed up again, vibrating with tension and raring to go. It was a good sort of tension, a feeling like a slow, easy chill of prickling awareness spreading through her body just before every important match, enhancing her senses and honing her level of concentration to a near inhuman degree. Despite their juniors' resounding defeat, she was not the least disheartened or dismayed by the results. Their kouhai had worked hard and done their best, so now it was their turn to come riding to the rescue to save the team from this pickle that they had found themselves in. It was only the right and privilege of the senpais to do such a thing.

Rindou was impossibly excited for the upcoming match, but at the same time, she was also calm and relaxed. The quiet before the storm. It was one of her most favorite feelings in the world, this delicate knife edge balance of chaotic harmony, synchronizing entirely conflicting feelings that existed in her, enthralling and feeding the savage, rapacious beast lurking within, voracious for victory…

Saitou was a silent sentinel standing resolutely still a few paces to the back, his beloved Isanakiri propped comfortably over one broad shoulder. He was already in the zone, calmly exuding the tranquil, Zen-like readiness of a fully blooded, seasoned Samurai kenshin. His steady, constant strength was reassuring as always.

Tsukasa was also no longer the same dithering, depressive character from earlier.

Distant lavender hues were now sharply focused, and he, too, was intently silent, a quiet unquenchable fire starting to smolder and burn deep within, stirring and riling his determination to _win_. There was an air of stately nobility in his transformed demeanor, a breathtaking dignity borne from an unshakable confidence in his own ability. He remained perfectly poised and comfortable even while donning the heavy mantle of responsibility and crushing expectation that made him 'First Seat.' He was _the_ _best_ , and the moment he stepped out of the waiting lounge, everything else fell away, ceased to matter completely. It was business as usual. He would defend his title, and he would conquer any obstacles that stood in the way of his ambition, _with extreme prejudice_.

"See you on the other side," he told her simply as they waited in the wings for their turns to be invited back into the arena by the host, this time as the strongest seeds for the second bout.

"Yep." She stretched out her limbs, limbering up for the upcoming bout, gold slit eyes sparkling.

They never wished each other good luck whenever they went into battle, be it individually or together. There was never any need to, after all.

Rindou could not seem to stop smiling. She could not ask for better teammates.

Today was going to be a _great_ day.

* * *

The contest had been absolutely exhilarating, her battle a match hard won, and in the aftermath of the three-nil return shutout victory, she was filled with an exhausted, bone deep satisfaction and glee.

It was a feeling like what she imagined one would experience after drinking liquid ambrosia, steeping her in euphoric elation. She had never enjoyed easy challenges, for it was only through harrowing triumphs like this that emphatically reaffirmed the fact that she had earned every bit of this _win_ against Megishima, with all the skills and experience that she had amassed over the years spent painstakingly clawing up the hierarchy of the Tootsuki, and it was _spectacular_!

It was a fantastic fight. It was a magnificent match. Victory was so _sweet_.

Her opponent was amazing; she could not help but marvel all over again with genuine admiration. That marvelous dish of his had blown her away, and she was both delighted and honored to have decisively brought down such a strong contender with her own creation. Drunk off of the heady high of her conquest, she felt invincible and on top of the world. She was ravenous for more, and the heart thumping adrenaline coursing through her veins made her feel like she could plow forward and ride this wave of momentum through the rest of the matches in this Regiment Shokugeki.

Alas, it was not to be.

Rindou was not the least happy that her body had opted to give out on her when she very much wanted to keep going on. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to deny it, she had expelled so much energy throughout her match with Megishima that she was already running on fumes. Her blood pressure was dangerous low, her blood sugar levels were redlining, her limbs were trembling uncontrollably, and she was starting to grow cold and lethargic again. Much to her chagrin and indignation, she did not even possess enough energy to refute Eishi when he assertively made the decision for the both of them, that they would be sitting out the next bout.

Really, he could be _so_ overbearing at times…and he still had the gall to call her the bossy one.

She didn't want to admit it too, since usually he had good reason to insistently take charge...

By the time the strategic planning for the next day's third bout had been properly sorted amongst the team and everyone had dispersed to go their separate ways, Rindou was pretty much dead on her feet and Eishi was fast running out of heat packs to stick on her.

"This is _why_ I told you not to push yourself too hard," he muttered as they were trudging back to the adjoining hotel just across the convention center where the Regiment Shokugeki was held. They had changed out of their chef outfits back to their school uniforms, and while he was dressed warmly with the Tootsuki outer coat and a vest, Rindou was bundled in extra layers of scarves, sweaters and jackets until she was waddling alongside him like a lost, confused penguin. Even with the exaggerated and extreme measures, she was still too cold to properly reply to his mild rebuke, shivering uncontrollably and huddling close beside him like a turtle retreating into its shell, using her friend as a human shield against the rising wintry wind chill. The fact that it was already night and so the freezing Hokkaido temperature was falling sharply did not help her poor condition whatsoever.

She was pretty much useless at the moment, so Eishi was left with the task of carrying their bags filled with the soiled clothes that they had worn for the Shokugeki earlier, as well as their precious knife sets securely stowed in their respective cases, already meticulously cleaned and blades sharpened for their next usage.

Her cheeks were red. So was her nose, which was also starting to water a bit. The woolen scarves were wrapped around her neck so snugly they almost covered the entire bottom half of her face. One would think that she was getting ready to spend the entire night standing outside and braving the elements as opposed to just crossing the street and heading from one heated building to another in very short order, which was what they were doing now.

"N-Nobody l-l-likes s-s-someone w-who'ss a-al-al-w-ways s-s-saying 'I-I t-told y-y-you sos!'" She was spluttering between chattering teeth the very moment they ducked back into the warmth of the hotel lobby.

"I don't _always_ say 'I told you so,'" he responded calmly to her indignant accusation. "I only keep saying it to _you_ because you never listen…" They were amongst the last in the team to return to their accommodations, and she muttered unintelligibly under her breath as they took the lift up to their rooms. The entire Central lineup was based on the same level, and in fact, their suites in particular were just right across the hall from each other.

"I'mma c-contest yer words at 'nother time," she slurred a bit, but he knew that she was just going to forget all about this conversation come the next day. "I'm t-too hungry 'an c-cold 'an tired right now…!"

He was exhausted too. The match with Kuga had taken more out of him than he had originally anticipated, and he was all wrung out and mentally exhausted from maintaining that heightened level of concentration and focus throughout the entire duration of the competition. He had honestly given it his all to beat down his opponent, but that was always the way he was whenever it came to cooking. He took his craft very seriously, and no matter who the challenger was, strong _or_ weak, Eishi did not believe in holding back. It was the one true form of acknowledgement that he afforded to all who put their pride and name on the line to pit everything they had against him. His detractors would claim that he was heavy handed and forceful, but Eishi had always thought that it would have been more insulting to his challengers if he were to meet them with anything _but_ his best.

That was why they came after him in the first place, wasn't it? To take out the best. He would oblige.

That said, his latest opponent had really grown by leaps and bounds when it came to his culinary prowess. The ex-Ninth Seat was rapidly evolving his existing skillsets, expanding beyond the realm that he had once settled all too comfortably in. Even though the result had been expected, it had still been an intensely interesting bout, and the younger man had really stepped up his game and thrown everything he had at the First Seat, just as he had vowed. Eishi had been surprised and slightly caught off guard by Kuga's drastic improvement, even.

… _Teamwork, huh…?_

"Did you underestimate Megishima?" Eishi asked.

"…Maybe just a 'lil bit, at first," Rindou admitted slowly, not really surprised that he could tell. While Tsukasa was not the most extroverted individual, he was very observant and could read people like books….when he was paying attention, at least. "Mannn, I did _not_ expect that Megishima would be this fired up! He never cared 'bout things like Shokugeki before so I sure was surprised…!"

But completely wrung out as she was, the redhead could not entirely stop smiling, remnant flutters of excitement and exultation coursing through her from winning her match earlier. She regained a bit of her pep and energy, even if temporarily, her eyes sparkling with enjoyment and admiration of the memory. "He really gave it his all!" she praised, almost gleeful.

"…Why are you so pumped?" her companion questioned, curious at her delighted reaction.

"'Coz it was an awesome, thrilling battle, duh! It really got the blood pumping and everything! Good fight, good fight!" she gushed. "You need to be more fired up too, Tsukasa! Shokugeki should be fun like this!"

"…" He shrugged. Thanks to all the endless backend work that he had to do all the time in order to facilitate these battles, whatever wonder and enthrallment that he might have once reserved for this activity had long since faded to jaded resolve and resignation. Now, it was just something he had to do to get over with, yet another responsibility fostered upon him due to his position that he could not refuse. He no longer derived fun or enjoyment out of it.

"It's just translates to more work," he muttered, feeling tiredness creeping over him with a renewed vengeance. He _sighed_.

"You do _still_ enjoy cooking, right?" she asked, put out by his lackluster response.

He glanced at her wearily, but there was no hesitation or doubt in his response. "Yes."

"But not so much for competitions," she pointed out.

"…Not so much, no," he agreed.

"Why not?"

He was baffled by her probing questions. She was being strangely dogged...

"It's not like the outcome's going to be any different," he replied blankly. There was no egotistic boasting or conceited pride in his flat tone. There was just simple, matter-of-fact understanding. He had not lost any of his matches for a very, _very_ long time. There was not even a sliver of doubt in him that he would win in future bouts, either. His calm, unwavering confidence was not borne of blind arrogance. It was formed from a solid bedrock of flawless skill and endless diligence. Even till now, he was persistently, meticulously refining his craft, competing against no one else but himself.

To date, he just hadn't met anyone impressive enough to actually threaten to upset this foundation that he had built himself up on, challenged his thinking and way of life and everything he had ever known when it came to the world of cooking.

" _Huh_. I think we've got a really feisty, ballsy group on our hands this time," Rindou slowly commented. "Maybe they just might surprise us, Tsukasa."

He glanced at her, perplexed.

"…Don't go soft and start sympathizing with those Rebels now, Rindou," he told her, his tone quietly warning. "We've our roles to fulfill here."

As if she was not aware of that. _Still…_

"Yeah, yeah. I know…"

* * *

 **Omake**

"T-Tadaima..."

Chouko lifted her head at the murmur. She had been sitting snugly by the kotatsu in the middle of the living room, quietly coloring on her coloring book when she heard the front door open and then shut.

"Mommy...?"

There was no response, so after a curious pause, the white haired child got up and pattered over to the entrance. The five year old was immediately met with the sight of several bags of groceries sitting on the ledge just in front of the entryway. It took a moment longer for her to locate the adult responsible, mainly because the woman who had birthed her was currently huddled in a ball right in front of the main door, still wearing her outer coat but shivering uncontrollably.

 _Ah_. It was happening again.

Whenever it was wintertime, mommy lost her energy very quickly.

The little girl trotted closer to her mother and lightly petted the older female's face, trying to rouse her but to no avail. Her cheeks were chilly, and she obviously wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon until something was done to make her not chilly again. The little one wasn't too distressed by her parent's unresponsive state, however. This was somewhat of a normal occurrence whenever the world grew too cold…

 _What should Chouko do now…?_

Pale lavender eyes landed on the small basket sitting on the side table. _Ah, Chouko should do that._ The child walked over, tiptoed, and carefully reached for the plastic packet sitting in the container. There was only one left, but maybe it would be just enough to wake mommy up. Papa had taught her and nii-chan how to activate and use these whenever they needed to. They all also knew how to put it on mommy because she always needed it the most out of everyone…

Short little fingers struggled briefly to open the plastic wrapper, eventually succeeding and revealing the paper pouch within. Chouko waved the mysterious, magical bag about in the air a bit, and sure enough, after a few enthusiastic flutters back and forth, the pack gradually started to heat up in her hands. It was her favorite part! Now that it was working, the little girl peeled off the paper protecting the sticky side of the warming pack, and then she carefully stuck the whole thing on top of her mommy's head. She petted mommy's pretty red hair for a bit, and then she went off to get help.

"Stay here for a while, mommy. Chouko will come back 'gain soon, 'kay?"

The child wandered back to the living room to look for her nii-chan. Nii-chan had been quietly doing his homework on his side of the kotatsu earlier…but when Chouko rounded over to Hi'en's side, she found the other redhead sprawled on the floor, bottom half hidden beneath the radiating warmth of the futon-covered low table with only his top half sticking out visibly. He was fast asleep, and visibly drooling into the open pages of his workbook.

 _Aish_. Nii-chan wasn't going to wake up easy too, once he was out like that…

And so Chouko returned to the genkan. There was no helping it; she was just going to have to do this all on her own! She was a big girl now, so she could…!

 _Probably_ …

Mommy was still defrosting…so the little girl decided to tackle the groceries first…but both the bags were too heavy for her, and so in the end, she decided to only pick up the things that she could carry. The child clutched a carton of eggs to her chest, and she carefully waddled towards the kitchen cradling her precious, fragile cargo. She cautiously rounded the counter, and then she paused, contemplating the higher surface with a little furrow between her eyes. Eventually, decision made, she stooped down to temporarily set the eggs on the floor, before pitter pattering off to locate a stool to prop against the counter. She was still too short to reach on her own-

"Chou? What are you doing?"

The white hair child picked up the plastic stool tucked in the corner of the kitchen and glanced over to the source of the voice. Her pale lavender gaze met her father's bemused one. She blinked owlishly at him. Papa was making dinner, and he was making the whole kitchen smell really good.

"Chouko is helping," she chirped, trotting back with the item in hand. She set the small piece of furniture by the counter, and then she bent back down to pick up the eggs again.

Eishi could see that, and he was faintly amused by his daughter's serious demeanor. Chouko was always very _serious_ when it came to food. There was only one possibility for the little girl to be walking around with a carton of eggs…

"Is mommy home?"

She nodded, stepping on her stool and finally setting the eggs on the table. Mission accomplished! Now she only had to repeat the same route another ten more times to get the rest of the groceries to the kitchen. She hopped off her perch energetically, brushing her hands together and looking very pleased with herself.

"Yep~! Mommy's home-"

She broke off midway, suddenly remembering something important.

"Papa, mommy's battery died again!"

It was code for Rindou's hibernation mode, from way back when they had to first explain to the children why their mother would suddenly hunker down and stop moving whenever her body temperature became too low. Eishi sighed, but was not entirely surprised by Chouko's announcement. It was _this_ time of the year again, after all.

"Did any of you try to warm her back up?"

Chouko nodded. "Chouko did! Chouko cast a magic spell…but it's not strong enough! Mommy needs stronger magic! Papa, you need to cast your magic on mommy also or she won't wake up! Quickly, papa, quick!"

Eishi set the ladle down on the plate where he had been sampling the soup, simmering gently on the stove. He went to the sink and washed his hands, then drying them with a dishcloth.

"Alright, I got it. Is your nii-chan with her right now?" he asked.

Chouko shook her head.

"Ah, nii-chan's battery died too! Can Chouko cast a magic spell on nii-chan?"

 _Really, like mother, like son._

"Will you do that? Thank you for helping. Please use the tomatoes on the counter."

Chouko obediently grabbed the bowl of chopped tomatoes and pattered out of the kitchen and back to the living room as well. Papa turned the corner and went down the hallway to the entrance to rescue mommy.

The magic spell for nii-chan was slightly different from mommy's. Mommy was always in need of warmth…but nii-chan was always in need of food.

She trotted up to her older sibling and squatted down beside him. She set the bowl on the ground and poked him curiously, but he did not even stir.

"Nii-chan, Chouko will save you now," the little girl announced. She picked up a small piece of tomato and popped it into her brother's mouth. Then, she waited.

After a few short seconds, there was a twitch of movement. Nii-chan's mouth started to move as he slowly chewed, and his eyelids fluttered. He was also grimacing a little, as if he really did not want to wake up. Chouko sat beside him and snuck a bite of tomato herself.

"Nii-chan, are you up?" she asked innocuously. "Nii-chan, want more tomatoes?"

Sleepy gold eyes opened in slits, and the older child looked briefly disoriented. He swallowed, and then he silently opened his mouth for his little sister to drop in another quarter of cherry tomato. She obliged, and he chewed stoically. The more he chewed, the more awake he slowly became.

"Nii-chan, you're like Sleeping Beauty, only you don't need True Love's Kiss. You just need tomatoes," she declared. That was not entirely accurate. Tomatoes were nii-chan's favorite, but he pretty much would wake up to just about any kind of food put in his mouth…

"…"

Chouko left her brother to wake up more on his own. She climbed back to her feet and raced back down the hallway to the entrance, a faint breathless giggle escaping her as she skidded over the wooden floors a bit on her indoor slippers.

"Chou, don't run. You'll fall," Eishi murmured absently once his daughter suddenly slid into sight. He wasn't too startled by her abrupt appearance because he could hear her stampeding down the hall like a baby elephant even before he saw her.

"Papa, nii-chan's awake!" the child announced.

"Okay, good job."

Humming happily to herself, the little white haired girl returned her attention to the groceries. The faster she got it done, the quicker they could have dinner! After a while, Hi'en appeared as well, his red hair sticking up in funny angles. He silent drifted over like a half awake ghost to help his sister.

"Nii-chan, take that one! Chouko can handle this-" the youngest Tsukasa directed bossily, though her sibling just did as she instructed. It was just less troublesome to follow the path of least resistance.

"…Oh…I'm home…?"

Eishi turned his attention from the kids to Rindou, who seemed to finally be stirring.

"Yes. You forgot to bring your heat packs again, didn't you?"

She pressed a bit more into his side, greedily leeching off of his warmth.

"I didn't think I was gonna need it, but the temperature dropped suddenly, so-"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Actual title of this update should be 'Regiment Shokugeki: As seen through the eyes of an unrepentant EiRin fangirl,' haha.

This chapter has been brewing for a while in my head, mainly because every time I read the latest arc, I find myself wondering what else's going on behind the scenes. The babies are so dead serious in battle but also so derpy out of it! This is my attempt to fill in the blanks, so as to speak. XD

The omake was inspired by that absolutely adorable volume extra of Eishi thawing out Rindou. I can picture future!Rindou still afflicted with the same condition, and the entire Tsukasa!family dealing with it in a very nonchalant way because they are already so used to mom's 'battery' dying out randomly that they all know what to do whenever it happens, lol.

Hope you guys enjoyed! :)

 **sxXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 18 y.o., 32 y.o. (omake)

 **Hi'en's age (omake):** 7 y.o.

 **Chouko's age (omake):** 5 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	24. Chapter 24

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3699

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 07/12/17

* * *

 **Secret Garden**

* * *

At first, she had been convinced that it was just an oncoming cold.

The signs were all pointing to the obvious; that stuffy, headachy feeling that she'd usually get just preceding a sick spell, that sluggish sensation of being just a bit more lethargic than usual, unexpected giddy spells at random times especially when she stood up suddenly or whirled around too fast…

Rindou had been properly dismayed, hoping with all her might that the symptoms would abate within a couple of days and that her immune system would be strong enough to fight off whatever bug that she had inadvertently caught this time…but much to her displeasure, the signs stubbornly persisted for an entire week and had not looked like they were going to go away anytime soon. _She hated being sick!_

Resigned to her fate, she finally took herself off to her doctor in the end, explaining her sorry situation to the man and expecting to be given the usual medication of painkillers and antihistamines as well as issued orders for home rest.

She hadn't thought that she would be asked: _"When was the last time you had your period, Rindou-san?"_

Ah. _Eh_?

Her mind had gone blank as she tried to recall her last monthly flow. The fact that she couldn't quite remember was _only_ mild alarming because her periods had never been clockwork regular in the first place and it had also been a pretty busy and hectic past couple of months for her, and she had never really been the type to keep a conscientious record of her menstrual cycles anyway... _Was it a month ago? Or was it two months ago? She couldn't quite remember…_

Her physician had taken one look at her expression and wisely switched tact.

" _Are you sexually active? In other words; are there any chances of you being pregnant, slim or otherwise?"_

Well, she most _definitely_ was sexually active with Tsukasa, but the very mention of pregnancy seemed to amuse her more than actually concern her. Pregnant? Her? _No way._ They were very careful with protection – that OCD, meticulous boyfriend of hers had always made sure of that.

" _I see. Let's just conduct a quick little test to be very sure, alright?"_

The redhead privately thought that her doctor was being unnecessarily careful but consented to taking the test with good humor all the same. She was also equally convinced that the generated results would be negative.

The last thing that she expected was to be proven _wrong_.

" _Congratulations are in order, it seems. You're pregnant, Rindou-san."_

… _ **Huh**_ _?_

* * *

She thought long and hard about her situation.

After that lengthy, incredibly informative session at the clinic, instead of going straight home in a daze, the redhead had taken to wandering the streets instead. It also helped that one of her favorite izakaya joints was in the area and hence she had ducked over for a well-earned comfort meal. Who could think well on an empty stomach, right? The owner was an old friend and he had greeted her happily enough, though the elderly man had noted her visibly distracted demeanor and had kindly left her to her food and her thoughts.

The discussion with her doctor had revealed that she was about six weeks along. The pregnancy was still considered young, and it didn't take her much else to figure out exactly _when_ it had occurred. There was only _that_ one time when they had been so frantic to _be_ together that everything else had ceased to matter entirely, but really, one time was all it took for this kind of thing to happen… _wasn't that how it always goes?_

It had been during that tumultuous period not too long ago when he had still been considering settling for Tootsuki for good and had needed a good nudge to figure out what she already knew - he would never have been truly happy staying with the mega resort chain for the long term, mired in paperwork, politics, as well as the intricate mess that was top management.

In the aftermath of her intentionally vexing actions that had involved her deliberate avoidance and going completely silent on him for days, distressing him to no end and earning her the collective rebuke and consternation of their friends and family for her impulsive behavior, they had come together so explosively in passion and this urgent _need_ to express themselves and reaffirm their commitment and bond to each other. Even afterwards, he hadn't let her out of his sight all night and she had been struck breathless by his tender intensity. The heated, possessive way he had looked at her with those sharp, fervent eyes. The gentle, exquisite manner in which his fingers had caressed every inch of her bare skin. His mouth lingering along the curves and lines of her body in aching wonder and worship, as if he was convinced that she was the most beautiful, divine creature to walk this world, as if she was something so incredibly _precious_ to him…

He had _loved_ her so thoroughly that evening, in that quietly impassioned, determinedly persistent way of his, until her legs were shaking, unable to support her own weight, until she was trembling like a leaf, weak and helpless against the relentless onslaught of his scorching ardor. He had deliberately impressed himself on her so much so that she could see nothing but him, could touch and smell and taste and hear _nothing but him_ , as he filled her vision and her entire world had narrowed down to the point where she no longer even knew where she ended and he began…

Just recalling that experience still had the ability to cause her pause even now, her golden eyes darkening, biting down on her lips, her pulse quickening, just a little. There was a message there that he had wordlessly, emphatically demonstrated to her, she knew. Implicitly; there would be no more talk of walking away, of separation and parting. He wasn't going to let her go anymore but then again, she didn't think that she had it in her to actually leave in the first place.

She was his, and he was hers.

Was it so bad, then, that their passionate joining had resulted in the unexpected miracle that now grew within her? There were much worse circumstances under which for two people to conceive a child, after all.

Rindou was also really pleased that she wasn't coming down with a sickness after all, though her current affliction was going to last her the next seven months or so if everything went well. There was no doubt or hesitation for her at all when it came to making this particular decision. It was the only one that felt _right_. She had never expressly given much thought about motherhood, having always considered it something that was still very far away into her future _if_ it were to happen, but now that she was about to have this role foisted upon her so suddenly and unexpectedly, she had no intention of shirking her responsibility.

Instead of apprehension and unease at the uncertain road ahead of her, Rindou felt her excitement grow and bubble within her, infectious, bright and warm. She petted her still flat tummy, already affectionate, a happy, intrigued expression growing on her glowing face. This was going to be a new adventure, parenthood was.

Decided and thoughts all straightened out, Rindou happily dug into the rest of her meal. It was oyakodon, and it was delicious irony, she could not help but think with gleeful amusement.

 _Maybe she could make Tsukasa a bowl too and see how long it would take him to figure out her secret?_

* * *

She was in a really good mood when she went over to his place that evening. He had no idea what she was being so upbeat and peppy about this time but he was really happy to see her all the same, especially after a long, stressful day at work. After he had tendered his notice to General Head Chef Dojima (who _really_ hadn't wanted to accept his resignation and it had been another tough battle waged just to get his reluctant Boss to agree to let him go), he was now in the process of training his replacement and ensuring that the new guy would be up to snuff to lead the French Division next when he stepped down from the position as head of department in the near future.

Seeing that the candidate in question was none other than the one and only Yukihira Souma - who as always had been making many big splashes wherever he went - Eishi actually had a lot less to worry about than initially anticipated. Of course, General Head Chef Dojima was still a _bit_ upset that _his_ chosen successor had bowed out of the running altogether, leaving him having to look for and groom another candidate anew thus further delaying his own retirement plans, so Eishi had been trying to point the older man in Yukihira's direction and hoping for the best.

"Not that I'm dismayed to see you here," the white-haired man had started as Rindou slipped past him into his suite and he slowly shut the door behind him. "But what brings you all the way up to the resort?"

The redhead stopped right in the middle of his living quarters and turned to her lover. For a good, long while, she said nothing, just looked at him – really _looked_ at him. Her unusual stillness coupled with the tranquil expression that seemed so completely at odds sitting on her usually animated face eventually started to make him a bit disconcerted.

"Rindou?" He walked up to her, his expression showing concern. "Is everything alright?"

She blinked as he drew up before her, as if awakening from a stupor. Her golden eyes brightened. She _beamed_ at him. Nodded her head.

"Yep~ Everything's fine," she chirped with suspicious cheer, though instead of putting him at ease only had the unfortunate effect of making him feel as if he was missing something important here. His lavender gaze sharpened.

"Are you sure?"

She was suddenly all wide eyed and bushy tailed again. And _very_ affectionate. She stepped up, bumping wordlessly into him, then burrowing into his embrace, humming with pleasure.

" _Mm_ , I'm very sure~ Everything is _thriving_ in Rindou-land."

He was left vaguely baffled and none the wiser with an armful of cuddly, content girlfriend. _Not that he would complain_. Though before he could enquire any further, she interrupted.

"What 'bout you? Is everything okay in Eishi-land?" she asked, blithely changing the subject even as she felt him nose her hair gently, his lips brushing the shell of her ear.

He slumped a bit against her at her question, wilting comically.

"No. Everything's not okay in Eishi-land," he mumbled, vaguely frazzled all over again as his initial happiness and surprise at seeing Rindou at his door was starting to wear off some.

"Huh? Why not?" She pulled back a bit to look at his unhappy expression. "Don't tell me that you're having trouble working with Yukihira."

He shook his head. "No. It's not that. Yukihira's been a great addition to the team, as expected. He's assimilating well. I'm troubled by something else…" There, he was sighing miserably again, though she did not allow him to wallow in his distress for long. She poked him, dragged him over to the couch, and pulled him down beside her to hear his concerns.

Now that his departure from Tootsuki was imminent, he was _still_ looking for a suitable place for his first restaurant. At this point, he was starting to despair at ever finding that perfect location which he had been exhaustively, futilely searching for. If Rindou's opinion was asked, the redhead would simply point out that the whole reason why he was encountering this problem in the first place was because he just had to be so nitpicky about every single thing, as always… _Sheesh_.

On the plus side, just about everything else had been settled. His preferred suppliers were more than happy to work with him once his plans were made known. He was going to have aides fighting over themselves for the right to work in his kitchen, so it wasn't as if he would be facing a manpower shortage anytime soon. He had accumulated a large following in his years of service to Tootsuki Resort, and the majority of his customers had expressed their delight and encouragement once he had revealed his intention to separate from the resort chain and set out on his own ventures. Eishi had been bewildered by the overwhelming support at his decision, but for Rindou, not so much.

" _Of course_ they'd be thrilled! Why wouldn't they be? Now that you aren't gonna be tied down to the Tootsuki brand anymore, you can go forth and show the world what you can _really_ do," she had quipped in response, her catlike eyes glowing with a plain, matter-of-fact confidence in him. Her faith and belief in him and his abilities was comforting…and so was the way she was casually, absently carding her fingers through his hair. He started to relax a bit more-

But then she just had to add on to her commentary.

"I also know for a fact that there are a lot of eyes on you~" she sing-songed amusedly. "All waiting in anticipation to see how your cooking will evolve again."

He did not seem particularly enthused to hear her observations. If anything, he started to look even more _grey_. She withdrew her hand from his head and punched him in the shoulder instead. He grunted.

"Oh, _c'mon_. S'not like it's gonna be anything that you're unused to, Tsukasa. You'll be fine~"

"Eishi-land is feeling even more stressed out now," he mumbled under his breath.

His girlfriend huffed, unimpressed by his wimpy attitude. If he was already so twitchy now, wait till she finally got around to telling him that he was going to be a father soon.

Which was probably why she was choosing to keep it to herself for now.

"Well, Rindou-land's in a very good mood right now, so Eishi-land better buck up and get with the program."

"…Do I even want to know why you're so happy today?" he asked slowly, his gaze flickering over her beautiful features, lingering on her bright eyes and glowing cheeks. It was an offhanded question that Eishi would come to regret not seriously pursing sometime later, but for now, ignorance certainly was bliss.

Rindou tipped her head back a bit to meet his curious expression. A mysterious little sphinx smile curled her lips.

"That's a secret~"

* * *

 **Six weeks later.**

In the aftermath of the surprise that she had (finally) sprung on him, Rindou decided that he was actually taking it all in stride rather well…or at least rather well for _him_.

In the first place, he was not the kind to enjoy surprises particularly, and in his defense, she had to admit that she had given him a pretty huge shock this time around. Of course, she was also rather pleased with herself because she had managed to keep this secret brooding in her for the last month or so ( _brooding_ , hah!) and had kept mum the entire time (kept _mum_ , _snerk_ ) whenever he had curiously enquired about the source of her mysterious good mood coupled with her oddly peaceful, knowing demeanor.

He probably was kicking himself now for not pressing the issue those few times he had asked…but since the cat was finally out of the bag, Rindou was beginning to wonder how he truly felt about her announcement.

Oh, it had been _hard_ keeping this precious knowledge to herself for as long as she had, and there were plenty of times when she felt like simply bursting out and sharing this exciting piece of news with him, but the timing had never seemed right. He had been exceptionally busy after he had tendered his resignation; apartment hunting in Tokyo and preparing for a move now that he would soon be vacating the suites of Tootsuki Resorts in the near future _and_ dealing with the many issues and considerations that came with setting up and preparing for the impending operations of the new restaurant on top of his usual duties and responsibilities as the incumbent head of Tootsuki Resorts' French Division (soon to be emeritus).

Renovation plans, interior design patterns, financial accounts, logistics, supply management, human resource, public relations…and most importantly of all, the design and execution of the greatly anticipated menu. The amount of work that he had to deal with was mind boggling and he was often left very exhausted and stressed out as a result…but yet she knew that he was _thriving_ all the same even with having to face all these challenges, because they were all for the sake of what he loved _most_.

In light of his focused dedication and concentration, it had never felt right for her to cut in and disrupt this frenetic energy and driving momentum now that he was _finally_ taking flight. But she was also fast running out of time to tell him – she could not possibly stall for any longer and had been steadily becoming more and more impatient and restless as a result. He had to know _soon_ , or she didn't think he would forgive her easily for keeping this from him for as long as she already had.

He had already had some time to calm down, but now he was eerily silent after all that ranting and panicking he had done right after he had literally, abruptly, jackknifed from his dead faint, so she went to sit quietly beside him.

"You okay now?" she asked, her hands resting primly on her lap. "Are you angry?"

He turned his head to look at her. His fine, white hair was tousled and messy from all the times he had speared his fingers through the strands, and he still looked a bit unsteady and _wild_ , actually. There were faint shadows underneath his eyes – he often appeared tired a lot lately - but his gaze was sharp, piercing even, as he looked at her.

Angry? Was he angry? He was still stunned, definitely. It was hard to process his thoughts especially since he was still feeling really tired and sleep deprived- but was he _angry_?

…Pregnant. _She was_ _pregnant_. The woman he loved ever since they were in high school was now carrying his child, and she was looking at him with that oddly solemn expression on her face and asking if he was angry?

… _Why_ would he be angry?

If anything, he just felt like he had been dropped on his head, disoriented, inundated by too many facts and information and his poor, beleaguered mind was struggling to compartmentalize everything all at once. It wasn't working too well. When he brought her to the empty restaurant that day to show her the progress that he had already made with it, the last thing he had expected her to suddenly blurt out when they went back to her place after the informal tour and were in the midst of getting ready for bed was a very abrupt and very random 'I'm pregnant.'

In hindsight, the timing and execution of her announcement could have been done better, because he had initially thought that she was just pulling his leg until it quickly turned out that she was _dead_ serious…

He could feel his eyes glaze over, dazing. _God_. He seriously needed sleep.

 _For this to happen now of all times…was it a sign?_

The news of her pregnancy sent contrasting signals of delight and dismay coursing through him. He did not know what to think. Did not know what to say. He must have been silent for too long, for she started to fidget. Him being ominously quiet and not reacting at all was making her nervous.

"Tsukasa, just say something already, damn it," she burst out at last, unable to take the suspense any longer. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. Was he happy? Was he unhappy? Was he still in shock? She would rather he let her know his thoughts right away, instead of just sitting there and staring at her blankly!

He continued to stare at her. Then he stood up from the couch and tugged her up with him. Without saying anything at all, he led her into the bedroom and she followed, not too sure what he was up to. He didn't seem agitated or upset anymore, and as always, his touch was firm, gentle. She was still a bit disconcerted all the same.

Eishi wasn't thinking about anything much at the moment, truth be told. His brain had already pretty much called it a day and he was mostly running on instincts at the moment.

And instincts dictated that he needed sufficient rest in order to consider and deal with everything going on right now, and instincts dictated that he needed to have her in his arms.

So he wordlessly herded her into bed, and then he joined her. He pulled her firmly into his embrace, tucking her softer form against himself, curling tightly around her. She had gazed at him in question with those expressive gold slit eyes of hers, and he sighed, brushing his lips over her temple. The quiet, unchanging affection in the simple gesture was palpable. She relaxed slowly. Her hand rested on his forearm at first, then arm slowly snaking around his waist and back, as she pressed into him and was comforted by his steady proximity and familiar, soothing scent.

"…Let's talk in the morning," he mumbled into her neck. It might seem really strange to leave this important conversation hanging like this unconcluded, but she could read between the lines and decipher what he was saying…or _not_ saying.

 _I'm not going anywhere._

 _We will figure this out together._

Was there even a need for her to worry in the first place. She closed her eyes and hummed in agreement, everything alright in her world once more.

"'Kay."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I'm alive!

Been a hectic past few months for me, but I live! Long story short, let's just say that I've been busy IRL and haven't had a lot of time to write. My love for EiRin is still going strong, though! Long may it live!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

This chapter follows closely on the heels of Chapter 18's 'What tangled webs we weave.' I've been listening to Ed Sheeran's Perfect on loop as I wrote this arc – the lyrics have been very inspiring, is all I have to say, haha.

Oyakodon refers to a Japanese dish that's also quite popular as a comfort (soul) food. It's also one of my favorite kinds of donburi. The name literally translates to 'parent and child bowl,' in reference to the main ingredients used; chicken and egg - ergo, parent and child!

This is the first of two parts. The next installment will continue directly from where this chapter has ended.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	25. Chapter 25

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4134

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 18/12/17

* * *

 **Oh my baby**

* * *

She was still asleep when he roused.

Curled up snugly against him, her head resting against his chest, she was blissfully lost in slumber. Maybe pregnancy was physically exhausting, and he would not be surprised if that was indeed so. She was slowly growing an entire human within her right now, and just the very thought filled him with quiet awe and amazement. Now that he had some decent rest overnight, his mind was so much clearer, and with it, he could _think_.

Even though he had only just woken up, Eishi was already thinking, a lot.

His hand slowly, carefully drifted over to her stomach, his touch feather light, eventually coming to a rest over her clothed middle. To his mute surprise, she was already showing signs of a little bump there. It wasn't very obvious yet, but now that he was seeking it out deliberately, he could feel it all the same. There was a child nestled in there, and a tender sort of wonder trickled into him. _Their child_. Struck by an intense curiosity, he slipped his hand beneath her nightshirt and carefully roved his large, warm palm over the bare skin of her belly, his fingers gently stroking her smooth flesh, even as his other arm tightened minutely around her shoulders and he shifted her closer.

The life that he knew was changing again, but then, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

He was quiet and introspective just lying there in the early morning, tangled with her during that time where the soft, pastel rays of the rising sun slowly peeking through the windows were still fuzzy and mellow, easily reflecting his current mood. There were many things clamoring for his attention and waiting for him to deal with but at the moment he was reluctant to move and shatter this peace.

It was a while later when Rindou started to stir. As always, she willfully resisted the call of wakefulness at first, a small furrow growing between her brows and her nose wrinkling even in rousing slumber, her eyes squeezing shut as if in a reluctant grimace. She burrowed her face into his shoulder, mumbling unintelligibly as she tried her hardest to sink back into sleep, only to give it up eventually for a lost cause.

Her eyes drifted open, dreamy gold irises slowly sharpening to lucid awareness, and she yawned languidly, flashing curling pink tongue and white fangs. She was still in a daze, and had no compunction against burying her face into the side of his throat, absently, sleepily, kissing his warm skin, and he could feel her long eyelashes brushing against his neck as she slipped them close once more.

"… _Mornin'_ …"

"…Morning."

It took her awhile more to realize where he had placed his hand, or rather, she was soothed by his absently rubbing her stomach. She eventually lifted her head to look at him, fire engine hair tousled and mussed, her bright exotic gaze wordlessly querying. But he was the one who spoke first.

"…How long have you known?"

She paused at his question. She wasn't surprised that he had already more or less guessed, judging by her level of calmness, that she had kept this information to herself for a while already.

"A month…or so…?" She shrugged at the look that he gave her in response, silently asking _why_ she hadn't informed him right away. "I would have told sooner, but the timing was never quite right."

He thought of her constant good mood and how she had seemed to be in such high spirits lately…so this was the reason why.

"…You're truly okay about this?"

She raised a brow.

"Yes~" she chirped, voice still husky from sleep, but there was no lie, no hesitation, not one ounce of doubt in her reply. She was _glowing_ with happiness. This child, no matter the accidental circumstances of its conception, was very much _wanted_. Their child, no matter the accidental circumstances of its conception, would be utterly loved and cherished.

She glanced askance at him, her gaze clear and forthright, neither judgmental nor filled with any sort of expectation of him, just wanting to hear his thoughts. "You're not okay about this?"

He shook his head immediately.

"No- I mean yes. _Yes_. I'm okay." He moved his hand from her middle and slowly snaked his arms around her instead, pulling her into his embrace, as if instinctively seeking to quell her concerns with his presence. "Well, maybe not yet as okay as I'll be after all the shock wears off, because this is really sudden and I just never actually thought-" He abruptly broke off his flustered rambling and exhaled loudly. Clearly, the poor man was still having some trouble wrapping his head fully around the idea of impending parenthood.

He was going to be a _father_.

"I'm _happy_ ," he croaked in a quick, hoarse burst, his face buried in the subtle, familiar perfume of her hair, his tone a fervent and earnest rush by her ear. At this point, it seemed more like he was drawing strength and composure from her than the other way around. "But I'm also worried – what if we mess up? We're hardly prepared-" That hilariously gobsmacked look crept over his face again…which was also starting to grey due to god knew what worst case scenarios he was running in that head of his now. He clutched her tighter, instinctively.

She huffed at his reaction, not entirely surprised by his honest caution but feeling oddly pleased all the same. These days, he only ever still panicked about all the things that mattered _most_ to him. His bewildered delight was incredibly reassuring, and the steady, warm thrum of his growing enthusiasm and dazed elation cosseted her like the softest, coziest duvet. That full, heavy feeling of radiant contentment in her chest swelled even more and bubbled to the surface, close to overflowing. She could not help but snuggle into him more, her senses happily unfurling, even as she offered her comment.

"Oh _pooh_ , we're never gonna be prepared enough if we leave it up to you, Tsukasa." Now it was her turn to free up a hand from their tangled limbs to pat him haphazardly on the shoulder, her turn to offer reassurance. "We'll be fine. Everything will work out. People all over the world have kids all the time – we'll just figure it out along the way too~"

He pulled back slightly and frowned at her, perplexed. She was always so relaxed and nonchalant even when facing all these important crossroads in their lives – sometimes he wished that he was as graceful under pressure as she was.

"How many months along are you now?" he asked, abruptly struck with the intense need to know as much as he could about this little being that was both his and hers. He wanted to learn as much as possible about this tiny new life, to do his part to support his child whom he hadn't even seen yet and had just only recently learned of its existence but was already resolving to protect and nurture to the best of his ability. As of now, he felt like he was stumbling around completely blind in the dark, but the white-haired man was determined to fix that oversight as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, he could not seem to stop the outflow of questions pouring out from him.

"What else did the doctor say? Do you need to have anything special added to your diet? When's your next appointment? What about your work? Will you be taking a hiatus? Does your parents know-"

He turned a shade paler at the thought of having to face her boisterous family now with the knowledge that he had gotten their precious only daughter with child _and yet to be married_ \- and then he turned even whiter altogether at the thought of having to repeat the same announcement to his own parents. _Oh god._

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ -" she interrupted him before he could barrel on and possibly start to hyperventilate in the process. She disentangled from him and sat up, a lithe clamber of pale shapely limbs and long red hair amongst a comfortable nest of bedsheets and duvets. " _Breathe_ , Tsukasa! If you pass out on me again, I'm gonna put a sharpie to good use on your face!" He was still very distracted, and so at last, she leaned over him and clapped her hands on both sides of his face, and the sharp crack snapped him out of his derailing thoughts.

His eyes focused on her.

"Slow down. Why are you thinking so far ahead all of a sudden?" Her soft palms cradled his cheeks, now tinged a faint red with color. At least he was no longer on his way to turning purple.

"I'm _fine_. Baby and I are perfectly fine and the doc has already recommended me a good obstetrician. I'm about three months along now, or so the doc says. I'll obviously need to make some adjustments to my work schedule when I start growing sideways more, but I'll deal. Last but not least, you're the only one I've told – figured that you might wanna be the first to hear 'bout this, even if it took a while for me to broach the topic."

He reached up his hands and grabbed hers, and then he sat up too, so that they were both cross legged in lotus and facing each other, close enough that their knees touched. He did not let go of her hands, but brought them down to rest on his lap instead, his larger appendages enfolding hers carefully like they were nestling a pair of little birds.

He looked at her. It seemed that she already had everything all figured out, and he could not help but feel that she already seemed entirely resolved and willing to take the brunt of all these sacrifices, with or without his support in the matter. She had always been the optimistic one out of the two of them, always seeing the positives in life and finding the silver lining in every cloud, and so very, sometimes _frustratingly,_ independent. She was already looking forward into the future while he was still inwardly reeling from the present, and sometimes he felt like he had to grab hold of her and hang on tight or she would blithely go on ahead without him.

"I still don't get how you're being so calm and accepting right now," he muttered. Not that her panicking and being scared and uncertain would have been any better, but he did wish that he knew just _where_ she was getting all this abundance of self-assured poise and confidence from so that he too could have some for himself.

She cocked her head at him, her gold eyes bright as she viewed his disconcerted, visibly ruffled demeanor. "Would you rather I get rid of this pregnancy?"

He stiffened immediately, and his grip on her hands tightened, the response wholly reflexive. All that uncertainty and doubt clouding his patrician, noble features _disappeared in an instant_. His eyes snapped to hers, lavender irises _sharp_.

" _No_."

It hadn't even been an option that he had considered, not even for a single moment. He hadn't even thought about that possibility until she had so innocuously brought it up, but now that she had, the parental instinct he hadn't even known that he possessed in him was quickly rearing its head, baring fangs, fierce and protective. He was inwardly startled by the visceral snarl of his own reaction, but that stark _distaste_ that her suggestion evoked had just settled it all for him. His ensuing statement was clear and abrupt, leaving no room for compromise or arguments.

"…No. We're not going to do that."

However, she didn't even seem the least surprised by his response.

"Okay," was all she said to his assertive stance. "Ya know, the whole reason why I'm so calm and accepting is 'coz s'not like this is _completely_ unexpected…."

He was briefly confused. "Huh?"

She shrugged. They were each other's firsts _and_ onlys. She had always known that if there were ever to be children in her future, that they would be coming from him. "I sure am not gonna be having babies with anyone else but you."

She was so clear and certain about her future as well as what she felt about it that he really could not think of anything else to say. He probably was worrying too much again, but he could not help his nature, which was why she was accepting his fretting with such uncharacteristic patience and long suffering good humor.

"…And your work?" he asked again. She had given up a lot as well over the years, worked so hard to put herself out there just to get to where she was now. This pregnancy would set her back for sure, and cost her opportunities that she might have to miss due to her expecting condition. He tightened his hold on her once more, regretful on her behalf.

She blinked at him. "I can have a career and still be a mom at the same time, ya know," she pointed out, not as upset as he had expected. Her mother had successfully raised five children on top of juggling a very active, dynamic career, after all. The sterling example of her female parent was probably also why the redhead was so unfazed about this pregnancy. She came from a huge clan, and she also really didn't see why she couldn't enjoy an outstanding professional life as well as a family at the same time.

She was taking on all these sacrifices with such blithe grace that she took his breath away. It was disorienting, the speed at which how quickly everything was moving. And right in the middle of it all, was _her_ , beaming at him, eyes twinkling with joy and mischief, one slender hand outstretched towards him, once again ready to drag him onto their next adventure.

 _She_ was disorienting, as always.

Okay. _Okay_. So they were going to have a baby. That was fine. That was more than fine. He had experience being responsible for hundreds of Tootsuki employees during his stint as French Division Head; in theory, surely he could take responsible for the care and wellbeing of one little human being too. He wasn't going to be alone in this endeavor – his co-parent would be there every step of the way. She kind of had to be, since their baby was entirely dependent on her right now. And there was also no way that he would let her do this alone, without him. They were just going to have to figure this out together. They were going to be _parents,_ for better or for worse...and it was always going to be her or no one else, for the rest of their lives together.

 _Speaking of the rest of their lives…_

"We should get married." The thought struck him suddenly, and with such surety and certainty that he quickly blurted it out without thinking.

It was her turn to look befuddled, caught off guard by the direction of his thoughts.

" _Huh_?"

He eyed her response cautiously, but was still bound and determined to push his intention forward. There was no hesitation here, only a decision that settled surely and firmly over his bones, because it felt completely _right_. He wanted to marry her. It had always been the inevitable conclusion and end game when it came to the matter of their relationship, though they had previously been in no hurry to get there yet, still so focused on building up their careers that matters like _marriage_ and _family_ had been shuffled to the backburner in the meantime, but hardly forgotten. They had never really discussed this part of their future together either, but as far as he was concerned, it was already implicitly understood that she was it for him- she had _always_ been it for him. There had never been, nor would there ever was going to be, anyone else.

The news of her pregnancy had only served to bring forward these long-termed plans, but nothing had changed fundamentally. He would propose formally. He would pull out all the frills and jump through all the hoops; buy the flashiest ring and get down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage, whatever else it was she wanted in order to say _yes_. He was even prepared to ask for her family's blessings as well, each and every one of the redheaded members in her boisterous clan of Kobayashi, but first of all, he wanted her to _know_. He wanted to say the words, finally affirming this long assumed 'probably' always floating unsaid between them and cementing it with a 'definitely.'

 _I want to marry you._

"Marriage. You and I."

" _Now_?" She still sounded unusually disconcerted, and he was starting to wonder just what was it about his proposal that she had to look so astonished about. _Had she never considered marrying him at all?_ "Just because I got pregnant?" she asked.

That strange wariness in him increased. _Just…because?_

"Now's as good a time as any, right?" he responded slowly, taking his time to formulate his reply, carefully layering his defenses with perfectly sound reasons and outcomes. "It makes sense to. We're having a baby. Our families will be pleased…and it will also be easier for you, at work…and also in general."

Modern twenty first century they might be in, but social stigma still clung to unwed mothers in their conservative society. Taking his name would protect her from the potential backlash and media fallout…and her reputation was important for her work – she was a public figure, after all. Even more so than he was.

Besides, they had already been together for so long. It would be good to make things official.

Rindou just continued to _stare_ at him, not speaking for the longest while, her expression schooling to one that was pretty much unreadable. She was making him apprehensive all over again with her prolonged, reserved silence. Before he could ask her what she was thinking, she finally responded, that solemn mien falling apart like it had never been there, carefree and lighthearted all over again.

"Eh? I don't think we need _need_ to get married just because I'm preggers!"

 _What_.

The startled look on his face must have been very indicative of his thought about her opinion, for she shrugged ( _shrugged_!) at him. He was momentarily speechless.

Rindou was more than happy to take advantage of his flabbergasted response to further elaborate. "I think that we're doing pretty well as we're currently, so why try to fix something when it isn't broken?"

His mouth opened immediately as if to refute her, but then he closed it again when he could not seem to think of a strong enough reason to counter her devastatingly simple logic- at least none that she would listen to, knowing her. At last, flustered and nonplussed, he could only blurt out.

"Are you _serious_?"

It was a purely rhetoric question, but she nodded all the same. "Yep~! Serious as a heart attack! 'Sides, I don't think I quite mind havin' this 'lil one be a Kobayashi too!" she quipped merrily, affectionately petting her tummy at the same time. "Ya know, I've always wondered _why_ is it the woman who does all the hard work giving birth but in the end all the credit always goes to the dad. How unfair is that?"

He was becoming considerably alarmed by her line of thinking. Not only did she sound like she was momentarily uninterested in marriage, but she did not even seem like she was going to be willing to settle down _at all_. He was starting to feel increasingly bewildered and disadvantaged at the moment, caught unprepared and on the back foot by her response. Marriage proposals were typically concluded by either 'yeses' or 'nos,' – he hadn't before heard of any outcomes that ended with 'why must wes?'

But the woman he loved was not someone who could be browbeaten into doing anything she did not want to. She was very spirited and she most certainly possessed a mind of her own, and capturing her was proving to be a much harder endeavor than he had originally anticipated…especially when he had always assumed that he already had her in the first place.

Turned out, that was not so true, after all…

The White Knight was trying not to feel uneasy all over again. Just a few months ago, she had abruptly upended him on his head with that drastic move of hers threatening to leave him and even now he still remained traumatized by that event. Granted, he recognized that she had been pulling out all the stops for the sake of his dreams and ambition, but the mere thought of her walking away had made his throat close up all the same.

She must have taken a good look at his face then, his rising distress and disquiet, and she squeezed his hand. Then she clambered forward and plopped onto his lap, soft and pliant and all too comfortable curled up in his arms, like she had always _belonged_. He could not help but emit an unhappy sound as he pulled her close, lowering his head and digging his nose into her hair. She snuggled into him, humming under her breath in a comforting, reassuring way. She wasn't going anywhere.

"Eishi. I won't marry you just because it's gonna make things easier, or just so that our families will be all the happier for it. You understand, right?" she asked him. He did not reply her, not confident of his ability to speak eloquently at the moment, and she wrapped herself even tighter around him, sighing. He was still so tense, strung taut like a bow.

But he understood clearly what she was trying to say…even if he did not appreciate it very much.

 _When we marry, it will be because we want to, and not for any other reason. Not for convenience. Not for other people's sakes. Not because it'd be easier._

It seemed that he had approached this at the wrong angle this time, though in the first place, when was this woman the type to follow the crowd just because everyone was doing the same thing? She often forged her own path, a trailblazer, but the choices she made and the way she went about blithely through life always ensured that she lived freely and happily, without having any regrets. It would have been easier to resent her for her unapologetically selfish refusal to compromise on her own values and whims…but how could he, when they were also amongst what he loved most about her?

At long last, after some silence, he sighed, the brittle tension between his shoulders reluctantly dissipating with that greatly put-upon heave of his shoulders. The news that she was having his baby still filled him with jittery happiness and excitement, though the rest of his pleasure was tempered by her rejection of his proposal.

And he hadn't even asked officially.

Eishi was one to be persistent, though. Unstoppable force versus immovable object. He would keep trying and trying until he wore her resistance down eventually, however long he took. She lifted her head to make of his suddenly quiet demeanor, and she must have seen that particular glint in his usually mild lavender eyes, that look that said that he wasn't giving up and she wasn't going to hear the end of this any time soon.

She huffed.

"You're _so_ stubborn," she grumbled, though not entirely surprised. Then she emitted a startled yelp when he tightened his arms around her.

"Excuse me? Pot calling the kettle black," he mumbled back, sounding equally disgruntled. They glowered at each other for a while before Rindou suddenly snickered. He deflated like a soggy paper bag, slouching in a rather undignified manner to rest his forehead against her temple in defeat. He still wanted to be exasperated and left to stew in his upset, by of course she wouldn't allow him to do so.

"Why are you _always_ like this…" he muttered. She petted his arm, warm and affectionate even with their disagreement. He didn't reject her either. They shared a curious dynamic with each other but it also clearly worked.

"Just think about how utterly dull your life will be without me," she quipped, grinning rather unrepentantly at him.

He raised his head a little and looked down at her, silent for the longest time.

 _Dull would not be the word he would use to describe a lifetime without her._

"…Yeah. I know."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Gah, I've been tweaking this for days and getting nowhere! Fed up and just gonna post for now!

So, this chapter continues right from where the previous one stopped. Poor Eishi; not yet married but his marital problems are only just beginning, haha.

The rest of this chapter is pretty intuitive and self-explanatory, with plenty of fluff galore! Hope you enjoyed!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	26. Chapter 26

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 6359

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 27/12/17

* * *

 **A papa bird's work is never done**

* * *

Mornings in the Tsukasa household were…always eventful.

 _ **5.00 a.m.**_

Eishi was quite often the first one up.

A creature of habit, he typically arose just before sunrise in order to visit his suppliers in Tsukiji as well as various other local grocers in Tokyo to pick out the choicest ingredients for the day's menu. His assistants would meet him on site, and together, the three of them would go on to survey and procure the best selections available for the kitchen.

His restaurant, _Château_ , was a fine dining establishment that specialized in nouvelle fusion cuisine, the menu typically presented in a dégustation course style that varied daily in accordance to the ingredients they picked up that morning. Barring extenuating circumstances, the twenty nine year old owner chef would make most of the pickings himself and have the final say regarding his _carte du jour_ , his meticulous nature refusing to allow for any kind of compromise so long as the quality of the ingredients were not up to his stringent standards. It was a good thing that he maintained friendly relations with his business contacts; at this point, they were all well aware of their patron's exacting level of expectation and took care to reserve their finest offerings for him.

Unsurprisingly, he wasn't the only demanding customer they had to deal with; nearly all the best chefs within Tokyo exhibited the same persnickety tendencies when it came to the raw food materials they worked with. To be able to satisfy the voracious appetites and needs of these amazing cooks on a daily basis was a great source of pride for these vendors and farmers.

 _ **6.45 a.m.**_

Eishi would part ways with his assistants by the time the sun was starting to crest the horizon, and the latter duo would deliver the purchases back to the restaurant so that prep work could begin later that day.

Dawn would color the skies in lightening hues of violets and pinks just as the white-haired man was turning the car down the driveway that led back to home, a three bedroom penthouse unit nestled within a gated community in the district of Yoyogi. The location had been a rare, ideal find. It was situated close to Eishi's restaurant in central Tokyo and was also nearby the media broadcasting headquarters in Shibuya that Rindou was affiliated to. A relatively peaceful and safe neighborhood, it was perfect for a young family to settle in.

Like most residences in Japan, the property was not a sprawling one, but it was cozy and it suited their needs perfectly and it was _home_.

 _ **7.00 a.m.**_

The apartment would be quiet when he stepped over the threshold, the other occupants still deep in slumber.

The early morning serenity was a temporary respite that Eishi greatly appreciated, taking the brief moments to gather his thoughts and get ready for the busy hours ahead. This time of the day was his own, and he would enter the well equipped kitchen – _his domain_ – to begin preparations for breakfast.

The espresso machine would be the first to start up; even though he already had a shot first thing he woke, there was no such thing as too much caffeine.

 _ **7.15 a.m.**_

They were in the process of teaching Chouko to sleep on her own, but the two year old still tended to crawl into her parents' bed in the middle of the night every now and then, instinctively seeking comfort in their warm presences whenever she did not feel too sure about bedding down alone. Eishi still did not know how she did it; the toddler was sneaky enough to find her way between himself and Rindou without immediately rousing them in the process, so they only woke in the mornings to find her snugly tucked in with them, usually clinging to her mother like a little burr, complete with sharp little elbows and knees.

This morning was no different, with Rindou curled up around her daughter like a favorite pillow, the two of them dead to the world.

Eishi knew better than to disturb the womenfolk right away…at least not without preparing to incur a lot of sleepy unhappiness and general grouchiness (also sometimes crying) in the process, and so typically, the next member of the household to wake was his firstborn.

Unlike his baby sister, Hi'en rarely found the need to go to his parents in the middle of the night anymore. The boy had always been quite a heavy sleeper, and was usually out like a light the moment his head touched the pillow, ensuring he slept all the way until the next morning. Eishi padded into his son's bedroom and switched on the lights; Hi'en's dark red hair was barely visible as the kid had burrowed deep into his duvet like a human burrito. The young father went to sit on the bed, one hand resting over the wild, unruly crimson locks of his child.

"En," his voice was quiet, coaxing. " _En_ , wake up."

"… _Mmphr_ -"

Predictably, the four year old attempted to wiggle deeper into the comfortable confines of his bedding, trying valiantly to hang on to his dreams. His father started to calmly unpeel him from his blankets, and the drowsy child whined a little in protest, a flush of color slowly appearing across his previously pale cheeks as he began to rouse awake. Slit gold eyes opened blearily, elongated pupils slowly focusing, and the boy squinted at the placid features of his male parent before squeezing his eyes shut again.

" _Touu_ … _un'wanna…sl'pyyy_ …"

The white haired male leaned in and briefly, softly, nuzzled his son. The boy still smelled like baby powder and innocence, and the sweet scent automatically evoked feelings of parental affection from Eishi. He ghosted a kiss over Hi'en's hair, color the exact shade of Rindou's.

"C'mon, En. _Up_ ," he insisted, this time in a firmer tone. He nudged the child to sit. Hi'en eventually lurched upright looking entirely dazed and not fully awake still, and he slouched there like a confused and unhappy little zombie, hair sticking up every which way and a disgruntled old man's scowl creeping across his young face. He scratched his pajama clad chest absently, groggily started to look around, slowly growing more alert. Eishi left him to wake up more on his own, moving around the room purposefully to pull out the latter's preschool uniform as well as other items that Hi'en would need.

By the time he was done, the boy had kicked off his blankets and was climbing out of his bed, apparently motor warmed up and running. Somewhat. He was a bit clumsy and still sleep-addled, but he obediently trooped up to his father and stuck out his hand for his towel.

"Can you wash up and change on your own today?" Eishi asked, his pale lavender gaze studying the young child. Both Rindou and himself tended not to baby the children too much, allowing them to discover some semblance of autonomy by letting them perform small tasks that they could reasonably complete on their own.

Hi'en rubbed at his eyes and slowly nodded. There was a fifteen second pause before he remembered to speak. "…Yes, Tou-chan…"

Eishi handed over the towel, watching briefly as the child stumbled out of the room to head for the bathroom. He called after the little redhead. "…Brush your teeth properly, okay?"

"'Kay…"

 _ **7.40 a.m.**_

The tantalizing, mouthwatering smell of breakfast was starting to permeate through the apartment.

Hi'en wandered into the kitchen, dressed (somewhat) presentably in his blue, kindergarten-issue button-down smock and shorts, his bangs still a bit damp from his wash up earlier and partially stuck to his head in funny angles. He had tried his best. His little blue sunhat was secured around his neck by the elastic string, flopping carelessly over the back of one shoulder in a rather familiar manner reminiscent of his father's similar affliction with ties and other neck accessories, but he did not appear to notice. The boy carefully climbed onto his chair with the help of a footstool and settled in before the counter. Tou-chan was still cooking breakfast a few paces away but he passed by the table and set a small cup of milk in front of him. A large, lean hand briefly combed through his hair, trying to fix the mess on his head with mixed results.

Hi'en drank his milk obediently, and his other hand reached out to grab a few pieces of diced cherry tomatoes sitting in a bowl nearby. He popped them into his mouth like snacks and started to chew methodically. He liked tomatoes. They were nice and not icky like peppers.

"En, those are for cooking…" But his father did not take the bowl away, so the preschooler continued to sneak bites of the sweet and juicy berry-like fruits.

The smell of what appeared to be scrambled eggs also summoned another presence to appear before the open concept kitchen.

Hi'en watched sleepily as his little sister padded barefoot into sight, still dressed in her yellow, monkey print pajamas. The younger child's white hair was also sticking up every which way and she looked like she had only just woken up as well. The little girl wandered over to her nii-chan first, and wordlessly, En gave her a piece of his tomato. Chouko accepted the offering and shoved it into her mouth without hesitation. Her little cherubic face screwed up a bit when she found the taste too tomato-ey for her, but instead of spitting it out, she hurriedly swallowed it. She stuck her tingling tongue out at her brother, and he stuck his tongue back out at her, which made her giggle a little.

She tottered unsteadily around the long counter and found the tall adult who also happened to be one of her most favorite people. She pounced at him gleefully, but since she was so little, she ended up hugging his leg instead with all the love her two year old self could muster.

"Papa, _hiiii_!"

 _ **7.45 a.m.**_

Chouko's high spirit turned out to only be momentary. It wasn't long before that buoyant energy level dipped again. She was still in the mood to stick with her father, and so, after a while, she ended up sitting her diapered bottom on his feet, her limbs curled around his leg like a sleepy koala bear. She leaned her forehead against his knee, those big lavender eyes surrounded by long dense lashes threatening to flutter shut with every passing second.

It was just as well that Eishi was done with the cooking, or it would have been quite dangerous having to work the stove and handle a clingy toddler at the same time. The toast were buttered and ready, the table set. The scrambled eggs were creamy and fluffy, stirred in with coarsely chopped spinach leaves as well as succulent cubes of vine ripened cherry tomatoes that were bursting with tart sweetness. A pinch of kosher salt as well as freshly grated parmesan cheese were sprinkled over the colorful and fun-looking meal, adding another plane of flavor for the palate to explore.

The white haired man plated the toast and loaded the eggs on top of the bread, and then he turned on one leg to serve the dish before Hi'en, barely jostling the drowsy Chouko in the process, who still had possession of his lower limb. His son was also looking a bit heavy-eyed again, and his head tipped forward alarmingly. With an ease of frequent practice, his father was just in time to prevent the child from landing face first in his plate, deftly slapping his palm over the dazed boy's forehead and gently pushing him back.

"En. Breakfast. Eat." Eishi picked up the fork, scooped up a portion of eggs, and proceeded to feed Hi'en, tempting the sleepy boy with the aromatic and mouthwatering offering. Hi'en took the bait, and as always, the first taste of the delicious food woke him up in a jiffy, and he automatically started to chew. Eishi handed the fork back to the young redhead. "Okay?"

Hi'en nodded and started to look more interested at his plate. His Tou-chan's food was always the best. Kaa-chan came a close second, but sometimes she made some really strange things…

Tou-chan cooked more often anyway, and so Hi'en's preference leaned more to him…

"S'good," the boy commented in between mouthfuls. His golden eyes glinted with a familiar, happy contentment as he fed himself more bites. "Really good."

His parent's response was to set a small cup of juice before him. " _Mm_. Eat well."

Eishi looked down where Chouko was still sitting on his feet. He wore a bemused expression on his face. The white-haired man reached down to pat the head of his daughter, and she leaned into his touch like an affectionate little puppy. Chouko was a strange little child at times, taking after her mother in unexpected, whimsical ways.

"…Chou, what are you doing?"

The child shook her head, suddenly feeling reticent. Her father crouched down so that he was more on eye level with the little girl. Chou turned to him immediately, using him to heave herself upright before throwing her arms around his neck. Lately, this was her way of asking to be picked up, and so Eishi obliged. He wrapped his arms around her, made sure she was secure and then he stood up. One hand absently rubbed Chouko's little back, and the toddler nuzzled sleepily into the side of his neck.

"Would you like some juice?"

"…" The child did not reply for a while, but her father was nothing if not patient with her. Eventually, she seemed to remember that she could speak, but suddenly seemed endearingly shy. "… _Yasss_ …?"

"Okay."

He set her back down on her high chair, incidentally right beside her brother. Hi'en looked at her and once again offered some of his food to his younger sibling. The boy was at the stage where he found it fun to feed his baby sister everything he was having. Chou was an even tinier human being than he was. She was like the little bunny they took care of in school, and she ate everything he gave her, too. It was like he had a pet bunny at home as well; Chou had white hair and was kinda fluffy also.

 _The bunny at school wasn't as bitey, though…_

By the time Eishi returned with the sippy cup filled with some juice for his daughter, the little girl's mood was somewhat revived, and she was trying to reach across for her brother's plate to help herself to more of the eggs. At this point, it looked more like the little girl was face painting with the eggs than actually eating it. The white-haired man set the cup back down and raced to get a bib around the child's neck before she could start on her pajamas as well. The bright green neck piece with all the dancing frogs was one of her favorites, and so she consented to her papa putting it on her without fussing too much.

He also cleaned her face and hands with a wet towel and then gave her the juice…but of course she didn't want it anymore.

" _No_!" Chouko was reaching for the eggs again, but Eishi kept her away from her brother's plate. She started to turn a bit red, a tantrum brewing.

"En, finish your breakfast," Eishi instructed the older child. In the meantime, he scooped a small portion of eggs still sitting on the stove onto a toddler-proof bowl, setting the serving before the youngest before she could start screeching her displeasure. Chouko quieted right away once she received her share of breakfast, and her father gave her a plastic spork to figure out how to eat. The child dug in immediately with comical gusto, and she ate like a hungry little hyena. …Which meant that eggs got everywhere.

"Yum!" she proclaimed her approval with a happy squeal, grinning from ear to ear, everything alright in her world again. " _Yummy_!"

Eishi tried not to sigh in consternation. He petted his daughter instead.

 _ **8.05 a.m.**_

There was a muffled cuss resounding from the vicinity of the master bedroom, an indication that Rindou was finally awake. A few minutes later, the beautiful redhead was running through the living room at full speed, her long, blazing hair trailing behind her like a flaming banner. Like her daughter, she was still in her sleepwear, in this case, one of Eishi's old dress shirts.

"CrapcrapcrapI'mgonnabelate!"

The entire family watched as she disappeared around the corner into the laundry room, and there was a slight ruckus as she dug through the freshly laundered clothes that had yet to be folded and kept away. She reemerged shortly with a bunch of clothes draped over her arm, pitter pattering quickly back towards the bedroom to change. She only slowed down briefly to plant kisses on her children.

"Morning, puppies~!"

A minute later, she was running back out again and looking visibly frazzled.

"Ahh! I need to iron!"

 _ **8.15 a.m.**_

The doorbell rang, and Eishi got up and walked over to the entranceway to check who was on the other side of the door. He was greeted to a familiar sight.

"Good morning, Tsukasa-san. Is Rindou-san up already?"

"Morning, Hayashi. She's awake…yes. Ready, not so much."

The white haired man let Rindou's manager into the house. The other man was responsible for taking care of Rindou's schedule and PR matters and they had been working together for nigh on a decade years by now. At this point, he came by often enough (usually to nag Rindou and make sure that she got to her appointments on time) that he could be considered a family friend.

"Would you like some breakfast while you wait?" Eishi offered, polite to a fault.

Hayashi Shigeo tried not to look too delighted.

"If it's not too much trouble, it'd be a pleasure to accept your offer, Tsukasa-san."

His charge's husband was one of the best cooks he ever had the privilege of personally knowing, but then again, those Michelin stars of his were not just for decoration, and the man himself was actually quite a decent character, to boot. No wonder Rindou adored him so. The two seemed like such an unlikely couple personality wise, but they were also childhood sweethearts and had been best friends long before they became romantically involved, so they went really well together.

Shigeo was all in support of a healthy love life and strong familial relationships for his charge. Other managers in the business were not as lucky as he in this regard, often having to deal with messy fallouts and PR nightmares when it came to their talents' private lives. In Rindou's case, the worst he had to worry about was her blunt, forthright manner of speech, so utterly devoid of artifice or subterfuge. But the general public loved her for her honesty, and she was also charismatic enough to get away with that carefree and outspoken demeanor of hers – it was all part of her appeal, really.

Shigeo wandered over to the counter table and sat beside the children. It seemed that they had just finished their breakfast. Hi'en-kun was chugging down his juice like a salaryman at a bar and Chouko-chan _beamed_ sunnily at him from her high chair. They reminded the older man of his own children when they were at this age, and he greeted them with affection. It also helped that the two youngest in the family had inherited their parents' beautiful appearances and were as cute as buttons.

"I apologize for the mess." Eishi murmured as he served their guest. It was a constant challenge cleaning up after the kids. Shigeo waved away the younger father's words of chagrin with a laugh.

"No need to apologize. You're actually a lot better at damage control than I was back when my own children were this little." He looked happily at the plate of scrambled eggs and toast before him. Such a deceptively simple and common fare, but the smell alone was tempting enough to make Shigeo's mouth water uncontrollably. "Your food looks incredibly delicious as usual, Tsukasa-san. I'm going to start now. Itadakimasu."

Rindou wandered back out just as Shigeo was thoroughly enjoying his breakfast. Compared to her previous state of disarray not even more ten minutes ago, the redhead now looked incredibly put together in a sleek, black, off-shouldered one-piece pantsuit, her long, lustrous hair pulled up in a high, sleek ponytail on top of her head, cascading down her back in a heavy mass of rich, scented, red silk. She also had on tall black pumps that further accentuated her long legs, and was clipping on a pair of simple, gold ear studs, the only jewelry she had on her…other than her wedding band, of course. A deliberate application of black eyeliner emphasized the exotic tilt of her gold slit eyes, and a quick coat of mascara as well as a bold slash of matte red lipstick completed the rest of her minimalistic makeup.

Even Eishi paused to watch her as she neared, walking towards them in swaying, feline strides.

"Hey, Hayashi. Are we late?"

Her manager shook his head, speaking only after he swallowed his mouthful of egg and toast. "We've still got some time. We're good."

She executed a quick, graceful turn before Eishi and the kids.

"Quick, En-chan, Chou-chan! How does Kaa-chan look?"

Hi'en flashed a stoic thumbs up in support of his mother. Chouko tipped her head quizzically and continued to chew on the silicon mouthpiece of her sippy cup. Rindou beamed at her cute children, before smirking faintly, impishly at her husband. She was barely shorter than him, but with her new heels on, suddenly she towered over him a bit, and it amused her somewhat because she knew that bothered him to no end. _Well, it wasn't as if he did not have his own ways to get back at her for teasing, though…_

"How do I look~?"

His pale lavender gaze quietly studied her from head to toe carefully, before lifting to meet her glimmering eyes.

"You look beautiful."

She glowed at his simple, honest praise.

"I've an interview for a magazine at ten, and then right after that I've a guest appearance for this world food convention thingy at the exhibition center," she informed him. She did not often had to dress up so elaborately otherwise. Her preferred fashion style was more of casual chic, actually... "You're attending too, aren't you? The convention?" she asked Eishi as he handed her a cup of coffee. She sipped at the aromatic, life-saving brew gratefully. Parenthood especially had taught her a newfound appreciation for this beverage when she had once vehemently eschewed it for tea in her younger years.

"Not today. But tomorrow onwards, yes," he responded mildly. He had some public duties and appearances to make as well as one of Japan's best and brightest in the culinary realm. The first day of the convention was geared more towards the reception of gourmet and restaurant critics and glitterati as well as all those in the food scene not directly involved in the kitchen, so he saw no point in participating until he absolutely had to.

"I'll tag in with you, or you can tag in with me since I've got MC duties for some of the seminars over the next few days. Remember to get your suits dry-cleaned today, or do you want me to get it done for you?"

He _sighed_. He had thought that he was done with all this suit and tie nonsense after Tootsuki…

"…Can't I just turn up in my chef uniform?"

She stared at him. "Nope. If I have to suffer in high heels and all this formal wear, then you're going to suffer right alongside me also, _anata_ ~"

He sighed, _louder_. She snickered behind the rim of her mug at his obvious misery.

"I'll get your suits to the drycleaners," she told him.

"…Go easy on the starch, please."

"No promises. You do look so yummy in a three piece, husband~"

She stole a few quick bites of scrambled eggs from his plate, and then she strode off to tend to Chouko, who was starting to fuss a bit. Rindou patiently wiped the little girl's cheeks and hands clean with a wet cloth, and then she picked up her baby and carried her off into the nursery.

"Come, Chou-Chou. Let's get you cleaned up and changed too, 'kay?"

"En, go wash your hands and get your school bag," Eishi told his son, who obediently climbed down his chair and wandered off again. The white haired man was stacking the used plates and utensils, intending to clear away the food remnants before loading them into the dishwasher, but Shigeo hurriedly took them off of his hands, or at least he tried to. Eishi had no intention whatsoever to relinquish anything to the other man, however.

"Allow me, Tsukasa-san. It's the least I can do in return for the wonderful breakfast."

"…You don't have to, Hayashi."

"I'm afraid that I have to insist. "

"…Actually, I'd really rather you not. It's nothing against you, I just prefer to get things done the way I always do…"

They were at an awkward impasse, at least for a while. The rising tension over who would get to wash the plates was becoming downright ridiculous. At last, Shigeo could not take it anymore, and meekly gave in to the politely (forceful) request of his host.

"…Oh, alright then. If you say so…"

 _What a strange guy…_

 _ **8.30 a.m.**_

"Okay, Rindou-san. I'll meet you at the headquarters of _Kaiseki_. Please make sure to be there by 9.30 a.m. I believe that the magazine editor would like to give us a briefing before the interview proper."

"Yes, yes, Hayashi. I'll be there. Sorry for making ya come all this way for nothing." The manager was supposed to fetch Rindou to the interview venue, but since it turned out that they were actually early, Rindou would make her own way there. Or rather, Eishi would drop her where she needed to be. The Kaiseki building was in central Tokyo, and not too far from his restaurant, actually.

Shigeo shook his head. "It's hardly a wasted trip. I got a delightful breakfast out of the deal." He bowed towards Eishi. "Thank you for the meal, Tsukasa-san. It was really delicious, as always."

Eishi politely bowed his head as well.

"It's nothing. Thank you for always looking out for Rindou."

"It's my pride and pleasure as a manager. Then, I shall make a move first. Please, excuse me."

Rindou had slung the strap of her purse over one shoulder and was comfortably carrying Chouko, the little one already changed and cleaned. Like her brother, she too, was dressed in a little dark blue smock, with her name tag sewn over the front for identification. She was also calm and content now, tucked in her mother's arms. Rindou turned to Eishi.

"Shall we go too, Tsukasa?"

Eishi inclined his head, having already collected the keys and switched off all the lights. The children's belongings and other necessities had already been packed in a bag – he was meticulous as always. Now, there was only one thing left. Eishi glanced down at Hi'en.

"Do you need help?"

Hi'en shook his head, not looking up, intensely preoccupied with his task at hand. The four year old was seated on the raised floor of the entranceway, short, pudgy fingers slowly but determinedly trying to tie his shoelaces. He had only recently started to get the hang of the whole thing, but sometimes the laces still got the best of him. Rindou sidled close, peering at her son's progress with sparkling eyes.

"C'mon, kiddo. You can do it~!"

To say that the redhead was immensely supportive of all of her children's endeavors would be an understatement. The day Hi'en finally got the hang of potty training, the young mother had been so proud that she made sure all their friends knew that this important milestone had been achieved. A bit TMI, but she had fussed so much over her son that it was impossible for him not to feel her affection and pride of him. On the other hand, Tou-chan's regard and approval was subtler…but no less impactful. After a few fumbles, the young boy managed to get the knots right.

" _Yeah_! Our En-chan is amazing!" Rindou cheered. Smiling shyly, Hi'en looked from one parent to the other. The warmth in Eishi's eyes made Hi'en's chest glow with happiness, too. So did the way he gently ruffled his hair. He leaned into Eishi's touch, savoring the words that his father quietly uttered.

"Well done _._ "

 _ **8.45 a.m.**_

The private daycare and kindergarten that the children were enrolled in was only a few minutes' car ride away from their home. The location made things very convenient for the Tsukasa family, especially since both kids were essentially schooled in the same place, making pick-ups and drop-offs a piece of cake. There were other parents dropping off their precious offspring, so there were essentially a lot of human traffic moving in and around the property this time of the morning. Sometimes he dropped the children off on his own, seeing that his work hours typically started later while at times Rindou had to leave very early to reach film sets and locations for work. In return, his wife would pick up their kids in the evenings since by then it would be his turn to be tied up at the restaurant.

Eishi parked the Range Rover in one of the designated visitor lots, and then both himself and Rindou went to unbuckle the children from their car seats. Rindou helped Hi'en out of the backseat on one side, whereas on the other, Eishi freed Chouko and lifted her into his arms. The toddler was drowsy again and she clung sleepily to her papa – car rides, no matter how short, always had that interesting, tranquilizing effect on the girl. His redheaded co-parent picked up the bags and took Hi'en's hand as they walked over to the school building.

Hi'en quickly perked up once they neared the kindergarten, and he could see some of his friends and playmates already there. He started to tug excitedly at his mother's hand, all but dragging her all the way to his teacher, much to Rindou's amusement.

"Good morning, Takahashi sensei…" the boy greeted his teacher, suddenly shy again. He fidgeted and then remembered to take his shoulder bag that Rindou had carried for him. His mother crouched to hug him.

"Have fun at school, En," she told him cheerfully. "Learn a lot and play even harder, okay?"

Hi'en nodded, distracted. He could see his friends calling to him in the distance. "Bye, Tou-chan, Kaa-chan-!"

And then he was gone, scampering into the building to change into his indoor shoes and play suit. The boy had always been the more independent of their two children.

Chouko, on the other hand, was more reluctant to let go of her papa. She was also still very little, and thus easily frightened. Her arms tightened around her papa's neck and for a while, she looked like she would cry. They always had to go through this motion every morning. Takahashi sensei came forward to try to coax the quivering toddler from her father's arms.

"Chouko-chan, don't you want to play with Takahashi-sensei? Your friends are also here. They are looking forward to play with Chouko-chan, you know?"

But Chouko shrunk instead, whimpering. It did not help that her nii-chan was not around as well. Even though the daycare and the kindergarten were run by the same school, the classes were all segregated by age levels. Chouko did not like daycare too much. It was very noisy sometimes and she much preferred to be at home. She turned her face into her father's neck, hoping that he would take her away.

Eishi resisted the urge to sigh. This was going to be one of those days where they were going to have to pry Chouko off crying and screaming the entire way, he could tell already. The little girl might seem very shy and timid now, but once she got going, it would quickly become obvious that she, too, had inherited her mother's feisty nature.

But this morning, the situation was…a bit different.

"…Tsukasa-san…?"

Rindou and Eishi turned at the sound of the voice, and they looked equally surprised to see the golden haired, amethyst eyed visage of one Nakiri Erina.

"Nakiri…?"

"Eh? You guys are here too…?"

"Yep. The kiddos have always been enrolled to this daycare…" Rindou trailed off, just as her gold slit eyes caught sight of the young boy that Erina was carrying. Her gaze lit up.

"Ah! Is that-"

Bright purple eyes curiously and boldly met hers, the cheeky feline gaze reminding Rindou very much of the boy's father. _SO. CUTE._

"This is Akihiko," Erina introduced her two-year-old son.

Rindou strode forward immediately, grinning and ready to fawn over the child.

"Hello, Aki-kun! Oh my, you're so darned gosh adorable!" She glanced at Erina, visibly amused. "This 'lil prince of yours looks like a mini-Souma! Ya know, I've got a son too, but he's a bit bigger than the tiny one here."

Eishi wandered up as well, absently rubbing Chou's back at the same time, trying to soothe the upset child.

"Hello, Nakiri. I don't think we've seen you around here previously."

Erina glanced curiously at the ex-First Seat, as well as the little white haired girl that was obviously his daughter.

"Y-Yes. We just moved to Yoyogi a few days ago, so today's actually Aki-kun's first day here."

"Oh, I see! Where's Souma? He's not here?" Yukihira did not appear to be in the vicinity, and Rindou thought that she saw Erina's temple twitch at the mention of her significant other.

"Souma's currently in the United States, participating in a competition. He's due to be back tomorrow…"

Rindou tutted.

"This guy, leavin' ya all alone to deal with all the troublesome moving and whatnot. Is he attending the convention also? I'll be sure to give him an earful for ya, Erina!"

Eishi thought that Erina looked vaguely embarrassed by the whole thing, and so he changed the subject.

"Rindou. Help me with Chou. We need to go soon."

"Oh yeahhh, 'kay. Welcome to the neighborhood, Erina! Maybe we can arrange a get together once you and Souma settle into your new place more. Yoyogi's pretty nice, I'm sure that we'll see more of each other from now on~" the redhead chirped, impossibly friendly and outgoing, as always. "And ah, I almost forgot. This here's our second kid, Chouko. Chou-chan, look! You've got a new friend!"

The pale lavender eyes peeked at first reluctantly, but then with more interest when she spotted the head of red hair, so much like her older brother's. She looked vaguely confused.

"…nii-chan?"

Rindou was quite amused.

"No, Chou-chan. He's not your nii-chan. But you can call him Aka-kun if you want. Okay? Will ya play with Aka-kun?"

The little toddler looked rather bemused, but at least she was not longer hanging onto her father for dear life, on the verge of a howling tantrum. Thanks to the distraction of the young Yukihira, the Tsukasas were able to successfully surrender their daughter to the instructors of the daycare without incurring too much trauma and ear damage. At least not this morning, at any rate.

With childrearing, one must take what little victories one can muster, after all.

 _ **9.25 a.m.**_

"Here's my stop," Rindou commented as the car pulled up to the Kaiseki headquarters. She was still early for her appointment, not too bad.

"Will you be able to pick up the kids tonight?" Eishi asked, watching her as she unbuckled her seat belt and got ready to exit the car.

"Yep, don't worry about it," she affirmed, glancing at her reflection from the rear view mirror briefly to ascertain that nothing was out of place. She turned to him, grinning with infectious warmth and fondness.

"By the way. I love you."

He just looked at her, his gaze quietly taking in her lovable features, that impish smile and those twinkling ochre eyes. "…Any reason for your sudden declaration?"

She shrugged cheerfully, not the least bit shy or embarrassed or self-conscious.

"Not really. Just woke up and felt like sayin' it this morning. But if you need reasons…" She reached over to catch his left hand, intertwining their fingers briefly. "You're the amazing father of my adorable kids. The wonderful husband I married. The dear, beloved man I go home to every night."

She brought their linked hands up, ghosted her lips over the back of his knuckles, their eyes locked.

'This heart is yours…is all I want to say."

She released him, reached out briefly to cup his face with her hand. The degree of affection in that flitting caress was palpable.

She smiled.

"Welp, I _really_ gotta go now. Have a good day at work, husband; don't terrorize your poor assistants too much. Seeya tonight~"

And then she was gone, leaving him feeling completely off-centered and so very flustered that he had to sit there for a few minutes to clear his thoughts.

That was the thing about her. She just always did and said whatever her mood felt like, but the thing was, she also _always_ meant them. That forthright spontaneity alone ensured he could never win against her, no matter how long and hard and painstakingly he deliberated his course of counter-action.

 **[text]** _You're being unfair._

 **[text]** _What? Why? What did I do now?_

 **[text]** _You know what you did._

 **[text]** _What I did? Made you think of me all day, ya mean~?_

 **[text]** _…You're terrible._

 **[text]** _Terribly good, you mean? OR terribly bad? Please tell me tonight in bed…preferably in breathless moans. ;)_

… _God_. He loved this woman.

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Somebody asked for more Papa!Eishi so I hope this hits the spot!

Truth be told, this super long drabble (not really a drabble anymore going by word count, hah!) was written back in June, but I was holding it for when I'm finally done with Peerless because it felt like a good concluding piece to round up the whole series in the end. Not to worry, though! Pretty sure that I still have plenty of writing juice for Peerless (only lack of time gahh), just that I'm keen to clean out my draft pile (and finally motivated enough to edit) so here ya go!

I also thought that the theme for this update would make a nice contrast to the last two chapters – especially highlighting their growth as a couple teetering uncertainly on the verge of starting a new family vs. the young but comfortably established family they would become just five years down the road. People grow and mature with time and responsibilities, but the more things change, the more they also stay the same! :)

 **Side note/Note to self:** Also. Power couple!EiRin in matching power!suits. _Swoon_.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Inspiration for this piece occurred when I was doing some reading on swallows (just for fun ahahaha why am I like this). This was the passage that stuck with me and that which spawned this monstrosity:

Pairs of mated swallows are monogamous, and pairs of non-migratory species often stay near their breeding area all year, though the nest site is defended most vigorously during the breeding season. Migratory species often return to the same breeding area each year, and may select the same nest site if they were previously successful in that location. First-year breeders generally select a nesting site close to where they were born and raised. […] All swallows will defend their nests from egg predators, although solitary species are more aggressive towards predators than colonial species. _Overall the contribution of male swallows towards parental care is the highest of any passerine bird._

So I thought that with the way Eishi is and how he so meticulously tends to Rindou in canon, it probably isn't too far of a stretch to imagine him easily becoming a very caring parent when it comes to raising his chicks...oops, I mean kids. Lol.

…Don't ask me why my inspiration always comes from the strangest more random of places, I don't know how to explain and I also have no idea what you are talking about. XD

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Erina and the SouEri!baby makes a cameo appearance! Akihiko loosely translates to 'Autumn Prince,' which goes in line with his mother's name (Erina/Eleanor) that also holds a noble/royal denotation. The interchanging wordplay that Rindou teasingly used (Aki/Aka) is in reference to Akihiko's hair color. Aki = Autumn, Aka = Red.

The Peerless SouEri!Family also takes on the surname of Nakiri instead of Yukihira. While it's not very common for the husband to officially relinquish his family name after marriage in Japan, it does happen from time to time, especially when the wife's side of the family has a well-known business to run and the family name cannot be allowed to be superseded by another as a result of female inheritance. As such, because the Nakiri is a huge enterprise that which Erina is due to takeover in the near future, Souma has chosen to take the Nakiri name – essentially being formally adopted into the huge clan so that all their children in the future will also carry the Nakiri name instead of Yukihira. This process actually has a formal name – _yo-shi_.

That said, Souma is still extremely well known amongst his peers and contemporaries in the culinary industry as 'Yukihira,' though.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 29 y.o.

 **Hi'en's age (omake):** 4 y.o.

 **Chouko's age (omake):** 2 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	27. Chapter 27

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 3300

 **Rating:** M (Contains content suitable for mature teens and older)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 26/03/18

* * *

 **the way you love me**

* * *

"Tadaima- _oof_ " Eishi barely had time to step over the threshold and shut the door behind him before he found himself enthusiastically assailed by his girlfriend, her golden eyes sharp and predatory like she was hunting for prized _meat_.

He didn't even have time to ask what she was on about for she was already on him, backing him aggressively against the back of the door and kissing him with hungry enthusiasm.

He was briefly bewildered and flustered by her ardor and kind of stood there like a hapless block of wood for a while, just basking in her effusive attention and mesmerizing _warmth_. _O-kayy_. This wasn't the usual homecoming he typically received but he was hard pressed to complain the prospect of a beautiful, amorous redhead rubbing up against him like an affectionate feline demanding to be petted and stroked.

" _Okaeri_ ," Rindou puffed out breathlessly in between passionate kisses, nipping at his lips and jaw, her hands already running restlessly across his clothed torso in happy possessiveness. Caressing. Fondling. Despite his weariness from a long day at work, a hum of pleasure thrummed from his throat. "Welcome home, I _need_ youuu-"

She wiggled against him, and he finally moved, his hands coming up automatically to grasp her rounded hips, tugging her close. She was already in her pajamas, in this case one of his old hoodies that somehow looked incredibly sexy on her and that she favored at the moment because she had claimed that it was so comfortable to wear. Her crimson hair tumbled over her shoulders and down her back; she was flushed, her eyes glittering, her lips red. His hoodie did little to conceal her long lithe legs, bare and smooth, at the same time clinging to her hips like a lover. He didn't think that he looked as good in that shirt as she did. The small, growing bump of her stomach brushed against his middle, and he tightened his hold on her.

He was tired, but she knew exactly what to do to grab his attention and perk him right up again. It was still disorienting, and he was still getting used to their new living arrangements. Living together had more perks than not for sure. It was nice to have someone to come home to, and for the moment, she was taking less assignments that took her out of the country now that she was carrying and her condition had been made known to her management.

The corded tendon on his neck twitched when she nipped at him, so soft and warm and mesmerizing, the subtle fragrance of her shampoo clouding his senses, and he sighed when her slim, nimble fingers quickly pulled his shirt tails free from the waistband of his jeans, her hands slipping beneath the fabric to run giddily over the taut, toned flesh of his abdomen and narrow waist.

She was _definitely_ in a frisky mood tonight.

He lowered his head towards her, and she immediately turned her face to him as well. Their lips met, clinging sensuously, and she pressed in even closer, all too happy to kiss him. Her tongue darted out to trace the seam of his lips, heart rate slowly starting to race, and then he silently took over the pace, sealing his mouth over hers and pulling her snugly into his embrace. He easily matched her fervor and dizzying, enthusiastic passion with his own hunger, until she was gasping, her whole body flushed and throbbing and sensitive and feeling like she was going to go crazy soon if he didn't touch her more then, her limbs starting to quiver the way they usually did whenever she _provoked_ his full attention on her-

" _Eishiiii_ ," she half mumbled, half whined against his mouth, starting to go a bit breathless as she squirmed against him. He pulled away and buried his face in the side of her neck, pressing haphazard kisses along her skin and making her shiver even more at the ticklish, arousing contact. "E-Eishi," she tried again, her voice tremoring in distraction, though no less demanding as she made her desires known. "I wanna be with you _now_."

Her forthright _want_ garnered the effect that she sought of him. He reluctantly dragged his lips away from her skin, tugged her away from the door, pulling her past the foyer and deeper down the hallway, and then they were in the living room. She was antsy and impatient and she did not want to wait any longer. She had been waiting for him to come back for the past few hours, after all. Her need to have him was damn near driving her batty at this point. Before he could lead the rest of the way upstairs and to their bedroom, she pulled them both to a screeching halt and towed him towards the couch instead. Then, turning back towards him abruptly, she pushed him down onto the soft, cushy surface and proceeded to climb on top of him.

Eishi grunted at her bossy demeanor but was more or less used to it at this point. Her eagerness and uninhibited desire for him was extremely arousing. He helped her straddle his hips – she was growing more and more ungainly as her pregnancy slowly progressed, but she was still impossibly attractive to him all the same. She purred with pleasure when he pulled their loins flush against each other, and his growing need for her was evident in the hardness that pressed between her thighs. His hands slipped beneath the hem of his hoodie, long, callused fingers traversing silken, smooth thighs and then over the womanly swell of her hips…and that was when he quickly found out that she was completely naked under the baggy pullover.

He groaned into her neck once more at her delightful boldness even as she shivered gleefully at the quietly possessive way he was running those large, lean hands of his all over her bare, needy body. She arched readily into him, her fingers undoing his belt, fumbling with the button and the zipper in her eagerness, her hand delving beneath his boxer briefs to free him.

"Rindou," he muttered, just as her fingers closed around his erection. Those slender digits immediately started to dance intimately along the length of his hardening shaft, spreading the drops of precum beading at the head and then affectionately lavishing her attention with generous pumps along his twitching girth. She obviously knew her way around pleasuring him by now, and was more than happy to reduce him to putty beneath her loving touch. His own fingers tightened around the sides of her waist, squeezing briefly before he forced himself to focus and make a more concentrated effort to get her out of the pullover. She reluctantly paused in her ministrations to help him tug the heavy piece of clothing over her head, and then she was fully, gloriously naked, spine curving like a graceful bow, shaking her hair out so that those magnificent ruby locks tumbled down her bare back in wild abandon.

Her eyes were glowing like twin gems as she gazed into his heated, pristine ones, her tongue licking her lips, revealing a hint of pearly fang that was sexy as hell. Coming home to be ravaged by this gorgeous woman was probably one of the best ways to end his stressful work day. There was something incredibly erotic about her full, lush figure as she pressed herself so enticingly back up against him…and the way she was so eager forhim made him a bit dizzy. He could not stop looking at her.

His hands came up on their own volition, large, warm palms covering her full, bared bosom, and he squeezed and rubbed the soft, sensitive mounds willingly enough. Her chest had swelled as her pregnancy advanced, her hips rounder as well, and he was really mesmerized and fascinated by her earthy physical changes. _Were expecting women supposed to be so maddeningly arousing_? Eishi did not know about the others, but he certainly found this one currently sitting on his lap incredibly desirable.

That was just as well since her sexual appetite seemed to be spiking nonstop lately, and she could not quite seem to get enough of him either.

He straightened slightly on the couch and replaced one of his hands on her breasts with his mouth instead, immediately drawing a beaded, dusky pink nipple into the warm cavern of his oral orifice, sealing the tender flesh with his firm lips, licking, suckling. She was all but shaking with sexual excitement, a pleasured cry escaping her, squirming lustily against his scorching intensity, instinctively pushing her bare flanks up against his angular hips, eager to be loved.

She had been so unbearably horny and distracted all day. There had been nothing much to do to keep her mind off of this sharp, biting _edge_ and she had been pacing about the house like a restless feline in heat, impatiently waiting for her mate to come home to her. She held him close to her chest, her arms curled around his shoulders for support as he continued to suckle and tongue her roughly, first one breast followed by the other, until it was _almost_ too much for her to bear…and then her bright gaze went vague altogether when his hand slipped down between their bodies, reaching between her quivering thighs, his fingers touching her intimately with such sure, knowing familiarity…and she went _weak_ for him altogether. Those long, lean digits massaged her aroused, needy flesh with deliberation, tracing the velvety petals of her womanhood again and again, then slowly inserting one finger followed by the other into her trembling, taut passage, stroking her so thoroughly until he was almost about to drive her right up the wall.

She bucked into him, moaning louder with unrelieved passion. She was so snug and slippery she made him a bit giddy with her overwhelming, desirous _want_ ; her enveloping heat, her musky scent, this vociferous, voracious passion, all for him. He released her aching nipple from the blissful torture of his mouth, his lips trailing kisses up the slope of her breast, tongue darting out to trace her delectable collar bone, nipping tenderly at the side of her neck. She growled throatily then, a sound that was half frustration, half pleading whine, and he decided that he probably shouldn't tease her too much, because it would not be long before she reached the end of her patience and tried to take matters into her own hand…

He dragged his mouth away from the dip of her clavicle, his hands shifting to that sweet thickening of her waist, his fingers damp from the evidences of her excitement, and she was only all too eager to oblige when he nudged her onto her knees, at the same time lifting her up slightly so that she could straddle his thighs more firmly, getting in position to receive him. He could not help but kiss the curve of her shoulder, her peach-hued skin, just as he could not help but keep touching her, drawn to her feminine vibrancy and dazzling energy.

Rindou seemed equally frenetic for this contact between them too, going by the way she was clutching onto him, her face briefly turned into his hair, lips restlessly running over his crown…and then she was hissing, utterly distracted and shivering, as he guided himself towards her entrance, slowly but surely sliding home into the haven of her body…

She sighed with pure bliss when he was finally fully hilted in her. Then, her eyes opened, languorous and feline-like, and she leaned into him and kissed him with such sweet, _sweet_ fervor, even as she drew her thighs up closer alongside his torso, slowly starting to move against him.

A distinctly masculine hum of contentment reverberated from his chest; he was entranced by the sheer pleasure of being with her, her body wrapped tightly around him, just sharing in this mutual haze of passion and need. His hands slid lower over the swell of her hips, his fingers tightening slightly as he cradled her close, slowly but surely finding that sleek, breathless rhythm that existed solely for them both. She gasped his name at the flawless way he filled her up so completely with every surge of his loins, her nails digging into his shoulders in carnal satisfaction, biting her lips and leaning her forehead against his. He pressed in and kissed her so that she would quit abusing the poor reddened flesh with her teeth, tongue lustily tracing the seam of her mouth, then slanting his lips over hers, muffling her increasingly frantic moans as he began to thrust harder into the welcoming, mesmerizing heat of her body.

She writhed against him, impossibly excited and aroused whenever he took charge of her in that quietly firm way of his. He was seldom rough or aggressive with her, but still he had a way about him that had her taming joyfully beneath his touch all the same. Well. Most of the time, at least. The rest of the time, she just made sure to drive him to such exasperation that he usually became a lot more… _assertive_ when it came to dealing with her…which also made her very excited and happy, either way.

With the promise of mutual fulfillment so close, she instinctively clung to him even more. She could feel herself starting to unravel, that heavy knot curling in the pit of her belly growing sharply taut, drenched in delicious, honeyed heat. Electrifying sparks of pleasure raced down her spine; her body was instinctively beginning to tighten more around him, snug like a velvet fist, and he drew a sharp breath at the slick, erotic friction. She broke away from the kiss then, too distracted to do anything else but devote all of her energy pursuing this sensual, all-encompassing pace of their feverish lovemaking. She buried her flushed face into the side of his neck, muffling husky and frantic moans against his sweaty skin, wordlessly begging for the release that only he could give.

Her alluring passion spurred him further as well, lean powerful hips rocking harder, faster into her heady heat, rising to meet the fervency of her need. His arm curled around her waist, keeping her close even as his body hungrily, greedily possessed hers so thoroughly, so wholly, until she just could not take it anymore. She came apart with a fierce, exultant cry of pleasure, her limbs locked tight around him, her slick, inner walls clamping down on his turgid length, clenching and pulsating helplessly as the tide of her orgasm completely overwhelmed her.

He turned his head and groaned into her hair. She was warm and throbbing and wrapped all around him, and his hips ground into hers a few more times before he quickly followed her over the edge. His body shuddered, deeply embedded in her as he eagerly spilled himself within her womb. Through it all, her quivering muscles continued to twitch and contract around him, massaging his throbbing length and greedily coaxing even more than he had to give. She was curled around him, still tensed and not entirely back in control of herself yet, her slender ribcage rising and falling in rapid tandem from their exertions, and they were both breathing hard, the mutual high of sexual release slow to release its thrilling, gratifying grip on the entwined lovers.

After a long pause, he slowly lifted his hand and stroked her back, absently demonstrative, still instinctively seeking to touch her even without the motivation of lust clouding his mind and dictating his actions.

She nuzzled into his neck as well, purring with languid contentment, the frenetic urgency of earlier fading away now that she has had her fill of him, momentarily _sated_. She could feel the warmth of his essence within her, her inner thighs stained with the sticky traces of their passionate union. Later they would have to wash up, but for now, she was more than willing to remain curled around him like this. Her lips lingered along the side of his throat, her tongue lazily tracing all that expanse of alabaster flesh and sampling the salt on his skin. More kisses followed, peppered affectionately with unabashed hesitation on him.

She was always so demanding and ravenously needy whenever they made love, but in the aftermath, she was also the one that was exquisitely tender with him and mesmerizingly loving, in the way that only he was allowed to know. The duality of her affection was endlessly alluring and he was caught in her tantalizing, comforting web. He exhaled with pleasure, kissed her hair, her temple, his hand roving up even higher to touch the beautiful crimson strands of her fiery mane, tugging lightly until she was compelled to lift her face to his, and then he kissed her some more, long and slow, on the lips. She melted into his embrace, both taking their time luxuriating in the other's presence, blissfully satisfied to have each other close.

It was a while before either could muster the energy and the inclination to speak, loathe to disturb this lulling tranquility. He could not seem to stop touching her either, his hands gently caressing her nude, softly rounded form; fingers tucking loose wisps of her hair behind the shell of her ear, the callused digits ghosting across her nape, tracing the entrancing curve of her breast, running over the softness of her hips. His other hand slipped over the sweet swell of her belly, slowly becoming larger by the day as her pregnancy progressed and their child grew and developed further in the safe, nurturing environment of its mother's womb.

It wasn't going to be too long more before her expectant state became impossible to hide from the rest of the world, but for now, this was still _their_ precious little secret.

Her gold slit eyes were dreamy, her lips slowly twitching upwards. Their foreheads were pressed together, and he occupied himself with watching her, his lavender eyes glimmering with contentment…quietly happy. She was starting to…smile like a loon; post-coital bliss was apparently a very powerful mood booster at the moment…

"Hehe." A giggle. " _Ehehehe_."

"…Are you feeling alright?" he asked slowly, cautiously, also trying not to look like he was vaguely nonplussed by her silly, punch-drunk demeanor. Her cheeks were rosy, she was _glowing_ , she was giddily happy and being very cuddly now and her change in demeanor from lusty, insatiable dragoness to sweet, docile mommy-to-be nearly gave him whiplash.

… _Mood swings._ Right.

The obstetrician _did_ mentioned that would be common. Eishi was just going to have to do his best to adjust accordingly and keep up. For the most parts though, Rindou seemed to alternate between three moods…at the speed of light. _Happy, hungry, horny._ While those conditions weren't very different from how she usually was pre-pregnancy, the abrupt intensity of her impulses sometimes left him quite dazed.

It wasn't the _bad_ kind of dazed, thankfully.

"Yep~" Her lips popped on the word like bubblegum as she replied him cheerfully enough. In fact, she was so bright and cheerful it was almost indecent.

He blinked owlishly at her, a bit bemused and not quite sure what to make of her infectious gleefulness.

"…Are you sure?"

She nodded, draping her arms around him and snuggling close. More happy kisses ensued. Not all prenatal mood swings inevitably sent cowed and traumatized life partners running for the hills, apparently. Some had very pleasant outcomes, as Eishi was very fortunate to discover.

Such as having his radiantly beautiful, gloriously naked girlfriend looking at him like he personally hung the moon and the stars in her world.

"Why wouldn't I be alright? You're here now~"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Oops. My fingers slipped and before I knew it this random piece magically wrote itself. It's kinda tranquil and stress-relieving because there's ZERO plot going on here, just hot and heavy action followed by cavity inducing fluff, ufufufufu. No tearing my hair out for this one, yes!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I like to liken preggers!Rindou to a manic borscht-hoarding chipmunk. Or a hungry hamster prowling busily into the night. High-energy, bouncing off the walls, very _humpy_ , randomly goes into hibernation-mode mid-snack and drops without warning…you know, the usual. :D

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

Oh yeah, timeline-wise this one probably occurred sometime after the events of chapter 25, for those who are interested to know…!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	28. Chapter 28

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4701

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 03/04/18

* * *

 **tabloid**

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **And this year's Tokyo tourism ambassador is…!**  
 _February 02, 20x0_

It is official!

The nation's top choice for the new face of the capital is none other than popular up and coming food critic, travel and lifestyle host **Kobayashi Rindou**! The charming and vivacious twenty-one-year-old beat out other popular favorites such as Olympic gold medalist figure skater Hanyu Yuzuru and internationally acclaimed singer-model-blogger Kyary Pamyu Pamyu to represent Tokyo starting this spring.

The Japan National Tourism Organization is delighted to unveil a series of collaborative and interactive campaigns with their newest ambassador and promises that this year will be an exciting one ahead with Kobayashi onboard to shape a vibrant and dynamic epicurean landscape for Tokyo to stand out on an international stage.

A professionally trained chef, Kobayashi graduated with honors from the prestigious Tootsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy and is a well-known figure and food critic in Japan's restaurant and hospitality industry. She currently hosts the popular series _'Dining with the Chefs'_ as well as the newly debuted travelmentary _'Have Food, Will Travel.'_ We congratulate this bright, young talent on her latest media coup and look forward to seeing all the exciting new adventures that she has in store for us!

Catch Kobayashi in action every Thursday evening, 10 pm, on _NHK World_ as she wrangles monster river fishes in the Amazon Basin and explores the Mariana Trench on the latest episode of ' _Have Food, Will Travel'_!

 **Read More**

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Kobayashi Rindou makes hearts go doki doki  
** _March 14, 20x0_

Happy White Day!

Fans of Kobayashi Rindou will definitely find today a reason to smile!

The sassy media personality recently made a guest appearance on popular variety talk show _Ame Toooku_ to promote her new series and talk about her exciting new role as Tokyo tourism ambassador, and comedian hosts duo Miyasako Hiroyuki and Hotohara Tooru mischievously pounced on the opportunity to ask the beautiful redhead some romance-themed questions in honor of White Day.

Kobayashi has always been coy when it comes to the subject of love and relationships, preferring to divert attention to her thrilling adventures and passion for food and travel, but even she was no match for the probing _curiosity-attack_! of her goofy hosts. When asked about the type that makes her heart go 'doki doki' the most, the young woman cheekily replied that she has a weakness for men who knows their way confidently around a kitchen. It's really attractive when a guy knows how to take care of their loved ones, Kobayashi declared.

Surprisingly enough, this bold and fearless adventuress possesses a soft, romantic streak in her as well, for she also teasingly adds that she's still waiting for her knight in shining armor…which implies that she's very much single and available at the moment!

Got all that, guys?

Better brush up on those cooking skills and be ready to don your nicest suit of armor, for love is a battlefield if you wish to capture this hungry, wild heart!

 **Watch the interview segment HERE**

* * *

Excerpt from _NHK World_ website:

 **Dining with the Chefs (Season 3, Episode 14)  
** _October 25, 20x1_

 **Synopsis:** In this season finale, our host Kobayashi Rindou heads over to the exclusive Tootsuki Resort to visit good friend and highly acclaimed French chef Tsukasa Eishi to sample a taste of what he serves on his table, as well as discover his vision and thoughts on the ideology of gourmet cuisine. For this series, Chef Tsukasa will be using locally sourced Japanese ingredients to create classic French-inspired dishes such as Boudin Noir Aux Pommes and Lamprey à la Bordelaise.

 **Chef Spotlight:** Tsukasa Eishi

After graduating from the prestigious Tootsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy as First Seat, Chef Tsukasa travelled extensively around the world to apprentice under several world famous French chefs and further refine his specialty. Upon his return to Japan, he joined Tootsuki Resort as Head Chef of the French Division and is currently the youngest to serve this position within the ranks of Tootsuki.

Today, Chef Tsukasa is one of the leading driving forces spearheading the revolution of French cuisine in Japan's vibrant culinary scene, and works tirelessly to promote French cooking to the rest of the country.

This episode is scheduled to air on November 10th.

* * *

 **Trending on Twitter (10/11/20x1)**

 **haafuugrll:** Ooh, is it just me or does Rindou and that Tsukasa dude look really good together? #diningwiththechefs

 **gudesaltedegg:** Rindou-san's amazing, as always. She slurped down that weird Lamprey dish so deliciously! I can watch her eat strange things all day long! #diningwiththechefs

 **little_bentou:** I'm starting to ship Rindou and Tsukasa! They look so cute together! *_* #diningwiththechefs

 **honeybee_eats:** You guys are making too much fuss over nothing. They're just friends. #diningwiththechefs

 **chocowaawaaa:** Tsukasa-sama is too good for that shameless wench! Just last week she was all over another chef on a different episode. #diningwiththechefs

 **rindou_is_the_best:** _**chocowaawaa**_ Get your facts right, moron. It's that Tsukasa guy who's standing too close to her. Who does he think he is? #diningwiththechefs

 **mama_rocku:** They look so good beside each other – their babies will be adorable if they really get together #ishipit #diningwiththechefs

 **shoujofan231:** How did Chef Tsukasa make all that gross ingredients turn out so delicious? That's incredible. A chef can be cool too, huh? #diningwiththechefs

 **fasdfe:** I want to eat at Chef Tsukasa's restaurant. #diningwiththechefs

 **rindoufan001:** RINDOU-SAMA I LOVE YOUUUU! #diningwiththechefs

 **kinakoohagi:** I did not know that cooking can be so elegant and beautiful. Chef Tsukasa is awesome! He's really cute, too! #diningwiththechefs

 **tofu_panda:** I smell a secret relationship between Rindou and Tsukasa. They banter back and forth like an old couple! And was she flirting with him?! #socute #diningwiththechefs

 **supercookee:** They are just friends! Didn't they mentioned that they graduated from the same cooking school? #diningwiththechefs

 **nomzwarrior:** Don't believe I've ever seen Chef Tsukasa look so relaxed on screen before. Amazing. #tsukasaeishi #diningwiththechefs

 **dsf67457:** Why do dumb women like pretty boys so much? Rindou can do better than that. So what if he can cook? He looks like a pansy. #diningwiththechefs

 **tsukasa_fc:** _ **dsf7457**_ Do you even know who you're talking shit about? Tsukasa is one of the best chefs in the world, you uncultured swine #tsukasaeishi #diningwiththechefs

 **sakuramocheee:** I SHIP THEM #teameirin #tsukasaeishi #kobayashirindou #diningwiththechefs

 **sailorfuku_baka:** That part when she was helping him prepare the ingredients – they work together so well it's like watching a choreographed dance #teameirin #diningwiththechefs

 **hatsukoiii68:** _ **sailorfuku_baka**_ ikr? And when Rindou was happily praising Tsukasa's cooking and he kind of blushed a bit – THESE TWO ARE TOO CUTE #teameirin #diningwiththechefs

 **momo_jam:** They're definitely dating. My sixth sense is tingling #orafancancertainlyhope #teameirin #diningwiththechefs

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Who is this man in Kobayashi Rindou's life?  
** _May 21, 20x2_

Do we smell love in the air? Hoh, we certainly think so!

Recently, weekly tabloid and pictorial magazine _Friday_ reported intriguing news of Kobayashi frolicking on vacation with an unknown male acquaintance in Bantayan Island, Philippines. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the food critic and travel host was seen behaving very affectionately with her handsome companion, and the pair were spotted wandering through a bustling night market and being cozily domestic together the entire evening.

The authenticity of this news was also subtly supported by **this** latest post on Kobayashi's Instagram account, which she frequently updates with snapshots of stunning, exotic locales and mouthwatering foods encountered in the extensive course of her exciting travels.

For those unable to access Instagram, the breathtaking photo that has everyone so excited about features a romantic profile of a sarong-clad Kobayashi barefoot on a white, sandy beach, a stalk of blooming yellow plumeria tucked behind her ear and bathing beneath the soft golden rays of a sinking sunset in the backdrop, her glowing face awash with happiness as she turns to the photographer and reaches out to take his hand.

While the secret identity of her partner remains undisclosed, Kobayashi is no stranger to this coy cat-and-mouse love game with the media. The captivating twenty-three-year-old has been loosely linked to the names of various male celebrities in the past but there has never been confirmation for any of those speculations.

 **(** **Readers' Poll: Who do you think may possibly be Kobayashi's mystery photographer?** **)**

 **UPDATE (22/05/20x2):** Kobayashi's agency has issued a statement denying all rumors, stating that Kobayashi is taking a well-deserved rest after wrapping up her exhausting shoot for the fourth season of ' _Have Food, Will Travel_ ' with a 'good friend,' and will be most appreciative if the media and the public can respect her privacy during her break.

 **READ MORE**

* * *

Excerpt from _TV Asahi_ website:

 **Full Exclusive Interview: Kobayashi Rindou talks to TV Asahi  
** _July 08, 20x3_

 _TV Asahi_ reporter _Takaki Sumiko_ interviews popular food and travel host _Kobayashi Rindou_ on the red carpet and asks her three personal questions:

 _ **-Start of transcript-**_

 **Takaki:** Congratulations, Kobayashi-san, on being nominated for Best Lifestyle Program and Best Entertainment Presenter/Host for this year's Asian Television Awards!

 **Kobayashi:** Thank you~! I'm lucky to get to work with an awesome all-star team that is my crew and I'm glad that our hard work is being recognized.

 **Takaki** : You're unexpectedly modest, Kobayashi-san.

 **Kobayashi:** I'm only speaking the truth. I'm blessed with a cohesive team that makes every day at work really fun and fulfilling!

 **Takaki:** Speaking of work, we saw that amazing collaboration that you recently did with National Geographic. That's a very bold stance that you're taking.

 **Kobayashi:** I don't think so. Even if you're afraid, you gotta speak out if you know something is wrong. That was an important lesson I learned back when I was still in Tootsuki Culinary Academy. Mass commercial dolphin hunting like what they still do in Taiji is outdated, unnecessary and cruel, and I hope that by educating the public more, they will be able to make their own informed choices and do their parts to protect our precious world.

 **Takaki:** Spoken eloquently, as expected of someone who hails from a family of passionate wildlife conservationists.

 **Kobayashi:** If we don't take measures now to preserve Mother Earth, then there will be nothing left for our children in the future, won't you agree?

 **Takaki:** I see your point, Kobayashi-san, and I'm sure a lot of your fans and supporters will gladly take up your cause too. Redirecting the conversation back to you, do you see yourself having a large family of your own in the future?

 **Kobayashi:** Of course! It'd be nice to have a family to call my own one day.

 **Takaki** : That's a surprising response. You're known for your exciting adventures and exotic travels abroad. It's unexpected that one afflicted with wanderlust such as yourself would also long to put down roots.

 **Kobayashi:** I came from a large family myself, and no matter how far I fly, I'd still have to find a nest to land in and come home to eventually. I would love to get settled one day and have a husband and kids of my own. Ya know, the whole shebang.

 **Takaki:** And are there any potential husbandly candidates right now in your life?

 **Kobayashi:** Currently? Not really, no.

 **Takaki:** Oh, do throw us a bone, Kobayashi-san! I'm sure your fans are dying to know just a bit more about your romantic life. You're so very private and discreet, we all can't help but be curious.

 **Kobayashi:** Ah, I'm sorry~! But there's really no potential husband candidates right now, 'coz I'm hardly ready to settle down still! Well, I was seeing someone for a while, but…

 **Takaki:** Really? That's news for all of us! Do we know him?

 **Kobayashi:** Nope~ I don't think so. He's not in the entertainment business.

 **Takaki:** I see. In any case, I'm sorry it's not working out. But now that you're single and available, I'm sure there will be many men beating down your door for the chance to date you.

 **Kobayashi:** You flatter me too much. My manager will cry if such a thing really happens.

 **Takaki:** Thank you for sparing us some of your time for this interview. All the best to you for the awards; we will be rooting for you to win!

 **Kobayashi:** Thank you; it's been a pleasure for me too.

 _ **-End of transcript-**_

 **Watch the full interview clip HERE**

Catch Kobayashi Rindou receiving her awards on _TV ASAHI_ this Saturday morning, 10 am, during the repeat telecast of the _Asian Television Awards_.

* * *

Excerpt from _Asahi Shimbun_ , Japanese national news site:

 **Victorious Team Japan cinches double gold in Culinary Olympics with all-star lineup  
** _October 26, 20x3_

Japan has made Olympic history again – this time, at the Culinary Olympics. The national culinary team beat out 29 other international teams from gourmet capitals the world over to be the only Asian country to win overall gold as well as two gold awards in both competitive sectors.

Held in Erfurt, Germany once every four years, the culinary competition is one of the most prestigious in the world. This year's competition is divided into two categories, a Cold Dish display and a Hot Cooking section.

The Cold Dish display category called for a very long list of dishes in five different categories with four types of finger food, a platter with salad, three different starters, a lacto-ovo vegetarian three-course lunch menu, and a five-course festive menu, including dessert.

The Hot Cooking competition called for a three-course menu — starter/appetizer, main course and dessert, with a standard requirement to prepare 500 portions of each.

The team had eight hours each to work on both categories, before the dishes were presented and judged by an international panel. They scored the highest out of the thirty competing national teams, winning overall Olympic Gold as well as gold awards for both individual categories.

 **VIEW PHOTOS**

The Japan team is led by _Tootsuki Resort's_ Executive French Chef Tsukasa Eishi and Head Chef Yukihira Souma of _Shokujidokuro Yukihira_. The team members are chefs Hayama Akira of _Masala_ , Saitou Somei of traditional sushi restaurant _Saitou_ , Isshiki Satoshi of Kyoto's kaiseki-ryori _Gion Isshiki_ and pastry chef Akanegakubo Momo of popular patisserie chain _Bucchi_.

During his interview with _Asahi Shimbun_ after the team has returned to Japan, Chef Tsukasa said: "It has been an incredibly intense period for all of us as a culinary competition of this level is both emotionally and physically taxing. The entire team has sacrificed a lot of time, energy and sleep to training in order to win."

"Culinary competitions are all about seeking perfection. It enhances your skills, your endurance and your very being as a chef. It tests heavily on techniques, creativity and consistency. It produces better chefs and this has a direct impact on Japan's food and restaurant industry."

Tootsuki Resort's Executive French Chef Tsukasa Eishi has also announced that he will be stepping down from his position to focus on other projects. Taking over his specialized role in Tootsuki Resort is Head Chef Yukihira Souma.

* * *

Excerpt from _kaiseki,_ premier food and lifestyle magazine website:

 **Coffee break with Tsukasa Eishi  
** _November 17, 20x3_

Tsukasa Eishi has certainly come a long way.

Graduating straight out of the esteemed Tootsuki Culinary Academy as First Seat at age eighteen, he proceeded to travel overseas to work with several critically acclaimed Michelin-starred chefs in order to gain even more experience in cooking. Immediate after which, he joined Tootsuki Resort and served a successful three-year stint as Executive French Chef, spearheading an aggressive expansion of the restaurateur business portfolio of the mega-resort chain and further refining their quality of French cuisine to its current impeccable diamond standard.

It is hard to believe that this accomplished chef has already achieved so much at the age of twenty four, and he is only just warming up. We catch up with this incredibly talented and driven young man to learn more about his plans and goals for the future.

 **Kaiseki: Congratulations on your recent win in the Culinary Olympics. You have made all of us in Japan very proud.**  
 **Tsukasa:** Thank you, this victory is the result of a combined team effort with all hands on deck. We couldn't have done it otherwise. I'm proud to work with this amazing group of individuals.

 **Speaking of your team, we cannot help but notice that the entire lineup is made up of the alumni of Tootsuki Culinary Academy. That is very impressive. Are you very close to all of them?  
** We all belong to a very insular and highly specialized industry. We're well acquainted and training for the competition have only served to deepened friendships. It was very stressful juggling all that training on top of all the work and responsibilities that we each have for our respective establishments, but it has also been incredibly exhilarating and fulfilling at the same time. I look forward to working with this team again for the next Culinary Olympics.

 **We also heard that you're stepping down from the role of Executive French Chef in Tootsuki Resort. A little bird told us that General Head Chef Dojima Gin was really reluctant to let you go.  
** That little bird of yours is very well-informed…but yes. While I will always remain immensely grateful for all the invaluable opportunities and experiences that Chef Dojima and Tootsuki Resorts has given me during my tenure as Executive Chef of the French Division, I feel that it's time to explore independent ventures. Chef Dojima understands my motivation very well…and besides, my successor is someone incredibly amazing, too.

 **You refer to Yukihira Souma-shi. Your co-leader in the Culinary Olympics.  
** Yes. Yukihira-kun is an extremely talented chef. I look forward to seeing how much more Tootsuki Resort will flourish with him onboard now.

 **Does this mean that you're finally ready to open your own restaurant?  
** Again, you're very well-informed. Yes, that is correct.

 **All of your fans will be ecstatic to hear this confirmation. We've all been waiting in anticipation for this day for a very long time.  
** …I shall endeavor not to disappoint.

 **We're sure you won't. Your reputation as a persisting perfectionist precedes you.  
** Thank you for the vote of confidence.

 **What may we expect from your new restaurant, Tsukasa-shi?  
** I'm still in the process of putting together the first menu for the season. It's exciting for me because I'll be reinventing all the dishes on the list – there will be something new to discover in everything served…especially so for the palates of my patrons who have been with me since the very beginning of my career.

 **That sounds very intriguing, indeed. Can we convince you to share more?  
** That will be spoiling the secret. I think it is best to experience my dishes in person, so please come and patronize my restaurant when it is open for business.

 **We really look forward to do so. Please remember to place a reservation for us.  
** Of course.

 **Let's delve a bit into your personal life next, Tsukasa-shi. With the amount of responsibility you have on your plate, it must be challenging to balance work and relationships. Are you seeing anyone at the moment?  
** I have a girlfriend. She is also very supportive of my career, so I'm fortunate in that aspect.

 **That's increasingly rare, these days. Should we be expecting wedding bells to toll in the near future?  
** Yes, eventually. If she'll have me.

 **That's an interesting reply. We wonder if there actually exist a woman who would refuse a proposal from the gallant White Knight himself.  
** If only that is true. My girlfriend is very independent and possesses a modern mindset.

 **We wish you best of luck for all of your future endeavors, Tsukasa-shi. Thank you for agreeing to this interview; it has been too long since you last graced our covers.  
** Thank you for inviting me, as always.

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Kobayashi Rindou admitted into hospital after passing out on set  
** _November 30, 20x3_

This just came in – Kobayashi Rindou has collapsed during a photoshoot this morning at Shibuya and has been rushed to hospital to receive emergency medical aid. The details for the incident are still slowly unfolding, but several eyewitness accounts are claiming that this is not a set-related accident.

We are sending our warmest thoughts and wishes to Kobayashi – please get well soon!

 _This news is still developing; stay tuned for more updates!_

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Kobayashi Rindou is pregnant!  
** _December 01, 20x3_

Oh my baby!

Kobayashi's agency has just announced in a statement to the media that the twenty-four-year-old is expecting her first child. Apparently, the outgoing and beautiful food and travel host of ' _Have Food, Will Travel'_ fame is already five months along and has been quietly keeping mum about her condition all this time.

This announcement comes closely on the heels of yesterday's incident, when Kobayashi abruptly fainted on set during a photoshoot. According to anonymous sources from the hospital, her condition was due to low blood sugar. Mother and baby are well recovered now from the temporary affliction and are in good health. They have also been discharged from hospital and placed on home rest.

The news of Kobayashi's pregnancy has surprised all of her fans and sent various members of the media into a tizzy, since the unmarried young woman has always been very closemouthed and private when it comes to queries about her love life.

Now, the big question that plagues all of us is: who's the mystery father of Kobayashi's baby?

Speculations are already all abound…

At any rate, we congratulate Kobayashi on her impending motherhood and wish her a smooth sailing, glowing pregnancy! That's one gorgeous mum-to-be right there!

Kobayashi will be going on hiatus after she wraps up her shoot for the next season of ' _Have Food, Will Travel._ '

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Kobayashi Rindou is cohabiting with the father of her baby?  
** _December 30, 20x3_

Recently, weekly tabloid and pictorial magazine _Friday_ reported that newest celebrity mum-to-be Kobayashi Rindou has appeared to have shifted residency from her previous apartment in downtown Shibuya to a larger penthouse unit in a gated community estate in Yoyogi.

And here's the shocker; she is not living there alone.

Bemused and unwitting neighbors eventually leaked the identity of the mysterious man to the media soon enough…and Kobayahi's agency also promptly confirmed that her long-term partner is none other than famous French Chef _Tsukasa Eishi._

Apparently, Kobayashi and her partner Tsukasa have been dating ever since they were both 19. They have always been close and have been high school sweethearts all along.

The couple plans to raise their family together, and seeks the public and media's understanding to give them space and privacy during this period of Kobayashi's pregnancy.

Now ain't that a kick in the head?

 **WHO IS TSUKASA EISHI: FIND OUT MORE HERE**

* * *

 **Trending on Twitter (30/12/20x3)**

 **tofu_panda:** OH MY GOD. TSUKASA EISHI REALLY IS THE DAD. #iamscreaming #amidreaming #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi #teameirin

 **rindoufan001:** NOOOO RINDOU-SAMA! HOW DARE THAT UNWORTHY MAN DIRTY MY PERFECT GODDESS AND KNOCK HER UP #unforgivable #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **sakuramocheee:** UFUFUFUFU MY SHIP IS HAVING A BABY SHIP~ #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi #teameirin

 **momo_jam:** GUYS. THEY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE THEY WERE 19. MY SIXTH SENSE IS RIGHT! #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi #teameirin

 **honeybee_eats:** Oh wow. High school sweethearts, huh? Did not see that coming. #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **hidenori459:** Disgraceful. What is society coming to these days? Pregnant out of wedlock. What kind of example is she setting? Her parents must be proud. #kobayashirindou

 **hyunaa_noona:** _ **hidenori459**_ Oh, get your wrinkled, diapered ass off your rocker and go take a hike, grandpa. Who cares about your outdated beliefs. #fightthepatriarchy #kobayashirindou

 **nomzwarrior:** Always assumed that Chef Tsukasa was asexual. Never would have guessed in a million years that he's be hiding that bombshell of a girlfriend. #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **ryuji_h:** _ **kobayashi_rindou tsukasa_eishi**_ Congrats to boss and Rindou-san! #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **ryuji_h:** _ **daiichi_toyoda shinkimura**_ Look I'm not the only one who thought this:  
 _ **[QUOTE] nomzwarrior:**_ _I always thought that Chef Tsukasa was asexual. Never would have guessed in a million years that he's be hiding that bombshell of a girlfriend. #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi_

 **shinkimura:** _ **[replying to ryuji_h]**_ Ryuji-senpai, is it a good idea to share this opinion on social media?

 **daiichi_toyoda:** _ **[replying to ryuji_h]**_ And why are you so excited, anyway? You still have no girlfriend.

 **daiichi_toyoda:** _ **kobayashi_rindou tsukasa_eishi**_ Congrats to boss and Rindou-san! #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **shinkimura:** _ **kobayashi_rindou tsukasa_eishi**_ Congrats to boss and Rindou-san! If you ever need tips on baby care, I'm always available! #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **mama_rocku:** Congratulations to the new parents-to-be! Can't wait to see their cute baby! *_* #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi #teameirin

 **kobayashi_raiju:** _ **kobayashi_rindou tsukasa_eishi**_ I just found out that my baby sister is pregnant…through the power of social media. This is really amazing. #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi #whattheheck #teameirin

 **chocowaawaaa:** This disgusting woman is only trapping Tsukasa-sama into a relationship with pregnancy. I despise women like that. Hope they breakup soon. #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **rindou_is_the_best:** _**chocowaawaa**_ You're the disgusting one. Can't you just be happy for them, you troll? Grow up already! #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **sailorfuku_baka:** They need to get married soon and have a gazillion more babies. I can't believe this ship was already sailing since long ago. #teameirin #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

 **hatsukoiii68:** _ **sailorfuku_baka**_ ikr? Their love story is so sweet and romantic…! BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS – THESE TWO ARE TOO CUTE #teameirin #kobayashirindou #tsukasaeishi

* * *

Excerpt from _Tokyo Weekender,_ exclusive lifestyle magazine website:

 **Château opens with rousing success  
** _February 23, 20x4_

The long wait is finally over.

The highly anticipated restaurant of internationally acclaimed and award winning French Chef Tsukasa Eishi opened to much fanfare on this Friday evening. Located in central Tokyo, Château is a fine dining establishment specializing in nouvelle fusion cuisine, with the undeniable touch of Chef Tsukasa's immaculate elegance in everything from the graceful interior décor to the very bite of food on each and every carefully conceived, tastefully sophisticated dish.

Interestingly enough, Château's _carte du jour_ is presented in a dégustation style that varies in accordance to the ingredients procured for the day, in a uniquely intriguing omakase fashion.

Some of the menu's notable highlights on opening night include the **Alaskan King Crab and Octopus Roulade** deconstructed to a green mangrove crab salad, lime infused compress watermelon, green apple slaw and squid ink cream, a **Carrot and Citrus** dish consisting of heirloom baby carrots and grapefruit jelly with tarragon-orange reduction, carrot with puffed quinoa and shaved carrot slaw and yoghurt sorbet, as well as the **Main Course** of roasted rabbit loin with foie gras and bacon, balsamic-glazed rabbit leg with Dukkah spice, and braised rabbit with mustard cream in savory pasty, carrot puree and sour raisin jus.

 **VIEW PHOTOS HERE**

Consisting of only twenty seats, Chef Tsukasa's Château is no massive institution. Instead, this pristine castle of ivory prides itself by carving an undeniably noble presence into a solid bedrock of impeccable gastronomic experience befitting of any King. Château has only been open over the weekend but already there is a significant three month long wait list of guests just getting in line for the privilege to be let through its vaunted gates.

This is one establishment that is set to become the newest and brightest crown jewel in Tokyo's food scene.

* * *

Excerpt from _tokyobeats_ gossip and entertainment website:

 **Kobayashi Rindou is a Mom!  
** _April 03, 20x4_

As seen from Kobayashi's latest **post** on Instagram:

" _I can hardly believe it myself, but I'm a mom now!_

 _Childbirth has been very hard on me, so I'm immensely grateful to have Eishi beside me the entire way. My fiancé has been so wonderfully supportive and I don't know what I would do without him in my life._

 _We're very excited to embark on the next phase in our lives as parents to our adorable son!_

 _To all of our fans; thank you so much for all the care and compassion that you've given us. Please continue to watch over us as we grow as a family."_

Yes. Fiancé.

The loving and elated message that Kobayashi penned on her post is also accompanied by a tender snapshot of Tsukasa Eishi carefully cradling their newborn in his arms, visibly mesmerized by their little bundle of joy. _Aww._

Congratulations once again to Kobayashi and Tsukasa for the birth of their son as well as their impending nuptials!

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

Oh my god. I don't know what nonsense was going through my mind when I thought that this would be _fun_ to write, but I'm never doing it again!

It's so hard being a (pretend) gossip columnist, guys – and I actually have interest in the subjects I was writing for! I can't imagine how miserable it gets for people making a living out of having to make stuff up about other people they don't give a hoot about just so that more (other) people can read about it, bahh.

That said, even though I just yelled that I'm never doing this again, I kinda feel that this chapter is incomplete and am obligated/niggled to continue the second segment at least all the way until Chouko's birth. So there may be a sequel to this purely because I'm not going to rest well leaving this hanging. .

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

I also seriously question myself when it comes to the 'Twitter Trends' part – if I ever develop dissociative identity disorder, it'd probably be like this: twenty different voices muttering about EiRin and then me arguing furiously with myself, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 21 - 25 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	29. Chapter 29

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4911

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 16/07/18

* * *

 **(baby) bump ahead**

* * *

He was nervous.

It had been a long time since he felt this way, but there was no helping his current state of mind. It was all he could do to sit still and not start pacing instead. He had already done that earlier until Rindou had complained he was making her dizzy going back and forth in the living room. And then he had reluctantly sat down beside her, just staring blankly at the laptop, or to be more precise, the Skype home screen, where they were waiting to receive a video call.

"We should have gone to Nairobi to do this properly," he muttered, his brow creasing. "At least, I should have gone. This does not feel proper at all."

Rindou blinked owlishly at her fidgety partner. She hadn't seen him this flustered in quite a while.

"You're worrying too much. And we've already discussed this. There's no way I'm letting you go and meet my parents without me – who knows what you're going to start randomly promising them this time. I can't believe you're such a doormat when it comes to confronting parental units."

He sent her a disgruntled, defensive look. She made him sound like a complete pushover.

"I only promised to help look out for you since your parents aren't around to do so themselves and I'm already doing more or less that, anyway."

"You totally got tricked," she pointed out. "I only left you alone with them for fifteen minutes – how on earth did you fold that fast? They gave that same speech to all my sisters-in-law because my brothers are babies and completely useless outside of their professions, and why did you even agree? We aren't even married."

"Not yet, you mean," he muttered, and she scrunched her nose at him. "And I hate to burst your bubble, but you're not really any better from your brothers."

" _Hmmph_. I can take care of myself, thank you very much. Maybe not as meticulously as you do, but I'll live."

"…Not good enough. Get ready to be so well taken care of from now on you won't even know what hit you."

"That sounds suspiciously like a threat, Tsukasa-san." She started to lean in, bringing her face closer, presumably in an attempt to browbeat him. It only made him want to kiss her instead.

"Maybe it is, Kobayashi-san. Why are you fighting me so hard on this?" he asked. He gave into the temptation, lowering his head and brushing his lips against hers, fingers coming up to caress her jaw, ghosting down the line of her neck and drawing involuntary shivers of pleasure from her. She wasn't the only one who knew how to be distracting, and besides, touching her calmed him and made him less jumpy. So he touched her more, running his hands through her silky scarlet mane, tracing the arch of her clavicle, the curvature of her shoulder…but she was not so easily quelled. She had to exert visible control not to climb onto his lap to be petted more, though, which both amused and pleased him.

Pulling away just barely, she frowned at him. "I know you're trying to distract me-" she accused disgruntledly, only to be kissed again. She melted. Just because she recognized his modus operandi did not mean she was wholly immune to it. Her mouth was red and glistening from his insistent attention, her hair sexily disheveled by the time she could muster enough common sense to bat him away.

"You're going to be-"

 _Nip_.

"-ridiculous-"

 _Lick_.

"-about this-"

 _Suckle_.

"-aren't you- _Will you stop that_?"

His lips curved faintly at her flustered appearance. That smile-slash-smirk sitting on his quietly smug face was ungodly attractive. She stared.

"I won't stop," he affirmed. "And do you know why?"

He leaned in slowly, inching closer and closer, until their cheeks brushed against each other. He kissed her ear softly.

" _You're born to be loved by me, Kobayashi Rindou."_

Her face was _red_ when he pulled back. His eyes gleamed with appreciation when he saw her flustered expression. It was really unfair, how he could pull something like that out of nowhere, just when she least expected it.

"…How can you even say something so cringe worthy and not be completely embarrassed by yourself," she blurted out, flabbergasted, when her floundering brain finally found a reconnection to her gaping mouth once again. The crimson flush on her cheeks refused to go away though, much to her chagrin. So his words _had_ an effect.

Eishi was currently a man on a mission. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose and so he was plowing in full steam ahead. Embarrassment? What was a little _embarrassment_ now in the grand scheme of things? His future progeny as well as the survival of his family line were all depending on him right now and he couldn't let them down!

 _Eishi, be ambitious!_

"If you think this is cringe worthy, just wait until you hear the rest."

 _The rest?_ She stared at him like she had never seen him before.

"Do you have fever?!"

"No, I'm just really determined. I'm going to win this war, Rindou," he told her seriously. As if there was any doubt. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I won't be conquered so easily, Sir Tsukasa," she uttered sarcastically back. He gave her a look that plainly said 'we'll see about that.'

Her hands twitched like she was making effort _not_ to wrap them around his neck and start throttling him.

The video call came through at the right time.

The unmistakable trilling ringtone of a Skype call made them both _jump_. There was a quick scramble to accept the call, and then the somewhat grainy image of Kobayashi Yuudai and Ayame could be seen taking over the screen. The connection was not very good on Nairobi's side, mainly because they were using a portable satellite transmission system. The older couple waved at their daughter and her boyfriend, smiling widely and looking healthy, if not also visibly dusty and tanned from their adventurous line of work.

"Rindou, Eishi! How are you, kiddos?!" Even from a few thousand miles away, the Kobayashi patriarch's voice came through loud and booming on the speakers.

Despite her vague irritation with her significant other, the redhead perked up visibly at the sight of her parents. She waved back at them.

"Pa, Ma! We're good. Are you guys out on the field tracking the annual elephant migration route or something? Kirin-nii said that it was really hard to find your camp when he swung by a few weeks ago. You two still in the bush?"

"Yuudai-san, Ayame-san, it's good to see you again," Eishi greeted mildly before he sat back and let the soothing chatter of small talk wash over him. It was hard to remain nervous with the Kobayashis around. There was always an endless stream of conversation and they always made sure to include him in some form or way. Even Rindou eventually put aside her initial annoyance, and she leaned into him on the couch as she happily spoke to her parents and they eagerly exchanged news. He raised his arm and rested it over the back of the settee, allowing her to tuck herself into his side comfortably.

The Kobayashi matriarch eventually turned her attention to Eishi, her golden eyes warm and affectionate as she gazed at her daughter's long-term dating partner.

"Eishi, Rindou shared that you finally decided to open your own restaurant." The older female sent a fondly amused look at her youngest. "She was bragging about it to all of us, actually – she's so proud of you."

That was news to Eishi, and he turned his head to look at Rindou nestled beside him, but his girlfriend was suddenly diligently pretending that he did not exist. "…Oh, really?"

Yuudai chuckled. "Of course, son. And may I add, we're all very proud of you."

The genuine delight that the older Kobayashi couple felt on his behalf was extremely heartening. He could not help but bask beneath the familial warmth of their approval and sincerity, and his cheeks tinged faintly.

Rindou peeked at him, smirking at his quietly pleased mien. Her parents had known him since she had dragged him home one day when they were still in middle school. He was already as much an extension of the family even before they actually started dating, and their support meant plenty.

"Thank you, Yuudai-san, Ayame-san," he murmured, almost bashfully. "I'll work hard in order not to disappoint your expectations."

"Of that we do not doubt at all, Eishi," Ayame replied for herself and her grinning husband. "Every time you visit, you spoil us so thoroughly with the gourmet food you make. You'll do great things with the restaurant."

"Ma, you're making me sound like chopped liver here," Rindou piped up in good-natured complaint. "I helped cook as well like a good sous chef, if you remember! You need to recognize my contribution, too!"

"Yes, yes, but you also snacked on the ingredients while you were helping, scamp," Yuudai reminded her with a mirthful glint in his eyes. Rindou shrugged, unrepentant at his scolding.

"I can't help it that Tsukasa's cooking is so yummy~"

"Yuudai-san, Ayame-san, please come and visit when Chateau is open for business. I'll make the arrangements."

Ayame beamed. "We shall gladly take you up on your offer, Eishi. It'd be great to return to Japan again."

It was an opening that Eishi had been waiting for. His hand instinctively reached over to Rindou's and covered hers. She, surprisingly enough, did not push him away.

"There's also something that we'd like to tell you," Eishi uttered firmly, gaining the attention of the two Kobayashi on screen.

Ayame's eyes started to brighten with gleeful suspicion at her daughter's boyfriend's resolved tone and demeanor. The niggling hunch that she had been nursing for a while now started to grow to full blown certainty. She knew that look. She had seen that same expression on her sons four times over the years, whenever she was about to officially welcome the significant other of her children into the bosom of their family. This was the first time they would have a son-in-law, though. She could not help but start to smile excitedly.

"Are you two finally getting married?"

There was a pause. A significant pause that did not seem to be in agreement with her happy assumption. After a while, Ayame's smile slowly faded, and she started to look more concerned. She exchanged a glance with her husband.

"…No, Ma," Rindou slowly refuted, stepping in to reply before the silence became downright awkward. "We're not getting married."

Naturally, her father jumped to the next closest conclusion.

"Then, you're breaking up again?" he demanded to know, brow furrowing with confusion. "Weren't you two already over that spat from the last time!"

" _No_ , no; we're most definitely _not_ breaking up, Yuudai-san," Eishi hastily denied. He was starting to get frazzled and recognized the need to come clean with their announcement as quickly as possible, before the situation unraveled any further.

"We're going to have a baby," he blurted out bluntly, since there was no actual way to soften the blow. "Rindou's fifteen weeks pregnant, and now that the uncertainty of the first trimester has passed, we wanted you to know."

His girlfriend nodded in accompaniment, as her father and mother stared at them in shock. "Yep, Ma, Pa~ We're keeping the baby, so in a few more months, you're gonna be grandparents again…for the thirteenth time!"

Seeing that Rindou's parents were still stunned by the unexpected news, Eishi hurriedly bowed before the webcam, a serious obeisance that had Rindou staring at him in surprise as well.

"I apologize for the abrupt notice, and I'm acutely aware that this situation is hardly ideal. Rest assured that I have full intention to take responsibility for Rindou and our child; I will care for them to the best of my ability. Yuudai-san, Ayame-san. Please entrust your precious daughter to me, and give us your blessings and your permission to marry once Rindou is ready to do so."

Ayame's ears perked up at Eishi's politely impassioned but peculiarly worded request. It did not take the sharp-witted mother long to put two and two together and figure out what was going on.

"…Rindou, am I to understand that Eishi already proposed to you but _you turned him down_?" The Kobayashi matriarch knew her daughter too well. Judging by her rising pitch at the end of her question, she was none too pleased, either.

"Ma! You heard him! We're not ready yet!" the younger redhead protested, wincing inwardly at that audible tone of dragonic displeasure. Her mother was a small woman but her temper burned hotter than any of them in the entire family.

"Speak for yourself; I'm ready," Eishi quipped, lifting his head to gauge the situation between his future wife and his future in-laws. Said future wife looked dangerously tempted to give him a good kick in the shin for throwing her under the bus but was too preoccupied with her fire breathing female parent to actually do so. Said future father-in-law was prudently sitting back from the scream fest. He also suddenly found the ceiling very interesting while the womenfolk were going at it, and when he caught Eishi looking bewilderedly lost in the crossfire, he took pity on the younger man and subtly gestured for the latter to use his phone to communicate.

Eishi slowly straightened and sat back down on the sofa, just in time to receive the first text from Yuudai.

 **[Yuudai]** My kid said no when you proposed, huh?

 **[Eishi]** …Yes, Yuudai-san.

 **[Yuudai]** And you're fine with that?

 **[Eishi]** I'm not, so we're getting married. She just doesn't know it yet.

 **[Yuudai]** You think you can wrangle my daughter into marriage?

 **[Eishi]** I have no intention to, sir. But we'll be married. She can only resist me for so long.

Yuudai was trying not to laugh as he read his future son-in-law's plainly determined text. It took a special brand of courage to attempt to corner a dragoness; he would know. One either had to be brashly foolhardy…or just hopelessly _smitten,_ and Yuudai knew exactly which of the two he would put his money on when it came to Tsukasa Eishi. That boy had not seemed like a particularly intrepid, bold child when Rindou dragged him home with her for the very first time all those many years back…but here he was now, stubborn, very much ready to throw down and put up a fight to keep what he loved.

Strangely enough, Yuudai found that he was not worried for his daughter at all. No, his youngest was all grown up and about to start her own family. He was happy, proud and also a bit sad. But far from worried. Rindou had chosen Eishi a long time ago, and if that whimsical, spirited child of his did not actually want this, then they would not be here having this discussion in the first place. No, his daughter knew _exactly_ what she wanted.

 **[Yuudai]** I think you should start calling me 'Otou-san' from now on, son.

Eishi stared at the message that Yuudai had just sent. Meanwhile, Rindou was in the background being flustered and trying to placate her mother so he wisely took a page from his new parent's book and decided to leave them to it for now.

 **[Eishi]** …Otou-san. Do we have your blessings?

 **[Yuudai]** You do. I would have preferred for the two of you to be properly wedded first before you start giving us grandbabies, but we've always known that you would end up together. Our Rindou is a boisterous handful, but she is our most beloved daughter. Please love her and care for her to your utmost abilities.

 **[Eishi]** I will.

 **[Yuudai]** Good. That's all I need to know.

 **[Yuudai]** Now, I'm going to try to calm Ayame down. Get ready to field a lot of questions about the baby.

 **[Eishi]** …Noted, Otou-san.

The men's conversation was short and simple, and they both reached a comfortable understanding easily enough. The women, however…

Rindou was scowling at her equally obstinate mother.

"Ma, we'll marry _when_ we marry! Asking us 'why not' again and again's not gonna motivate me to drag Tsukasa to the city hall to file for marriage any sooner!"

"Kobayashi Rindou, don't you _dare_! There will be _no_ eloping, you hear me? Just because Kirin and Raiju did whatever they wanted when they decided to get hitched does not mean I'm going to let you do the same! You're my baby, my only daughter- there will be a proper wedding!"

Rindou wrinkled her nose at her mama's demand. The petite and dark-haired woman realized that she needed to switch tact. Or rather, she needed to switch target. She turned her attention to Eishi, and her ferocious demeanor instantly switched to a gentler, motherly one. Ayame had always had a soft spot for her daughter's boyfriend – Eishi was a good child, always so gentle and well-mannered. Sometimes she wondered how her wild hoyden of a daughter had managed to snag such a wonderful partner. It was all the more reason for Rindou to hook and land the boy before he changed his mind.

"Eishi, be a darling and promise this old, frail woman that there'd be a proper wedding, please?"

Eishi dutifully opened his mouth to reply…only to close it with a faint wince when Rindou discreetly _stomped_ on his instep. He sent her a faintly disgruntled look, but she was none too impressed.

"Please, Ma. You aren't even _that_ old…or frail! You were wrestling baby elephants the other day- don't even deny it; I saw the photos on Facebook!"

Ayame scowled at her child. _Dang_. Foiled by social media!

"Dear, maybe we should shelf all that wedding talk and leave 'em for later," Yuudai interjected innocuously then. He petted his huffing and puffing wife on the shoulder placatingly. "Let the kiddos work this out amongst themselves. Don't you want to hear more about our youngest grandkid?"

"…Okaa-san," Eishi lingered uncertainly over the address, but his conviction for everything else that came after was unwaveringly firm. "Please don't worry. I won't leave Rindou's side. Don't be angry with her – I'm at fault too. We'll be responsible, I promise."

Ayame's countenance visibly softened at the familial term. His calm, reassurance also did wonders in quelling the older woman's displeasure. Rindou glanced askance at him. Eishi silently took her hand and held it in his own once again. His thumb softly stroked the back of her knuckles, trying to soothe her with his touch.

Rindou grumpily subsided into his side. She wasn't about to give in without extracting her pound of flesh first, however.

"He said that I was born to be loved by him," she blurted out, still vindictive and peeved over his unhelpfulness earlier, and he started to turn pink with mortification when her parents looked expectantly at him. It was one thing to declare something so boldly intimate to her and her alone, but another thing altogether to have it being brought up before her family.

" _Rindou_ ," he muttered, embarrassed, which immediately improved her mood.

She smirked at him. "If you're gonna be embarrassed, then maybe next time don't say this kind of mushy things that can be used against you."

He was definitely chagrinned – even his ears were turning red – and she cackled. But Rindou was gloating a bit too much for Eishi to take sitting down, because next thing she knew, her boyfriend was holding the back of her hand to his mouth and grazing his lips against her fingers, all the while gazing very intently at her.

"…I may be embarrassed, but it doesn't mean my determination to love you is any less."

She stared at him. He stared back, expression as schooled as he could manage it.

She wasn't buying his composure though, mainly because he really was… _flushed_.

"…"

Funny thing was, _she started to turn red too._

She ended up burying her hot face in his shoulder, speechless and very bewildered.

Yuudai started laughing loudly in the background. _Oho_ , the boy possessed a gentle nature but he definitely knew how to use it effectively to railroad his feisty daughter.

"Haha! Wait till your brothers hear about this!"

That elicited an instant reaction from Rindou. She immediately lifted her head, her features comically crimson, hissing like a ruffled hen. "Pa, _no_!"

"Oh, Eishi," Ayame sighed beside her guffawing husband. "You spoil her too much." But her tone was happy again, and her eyes twinkled with mirth and affection for the young couple. So perhaps the situation wasn't as worrisome as she had initially believed. It was still vaguely disconcerting, but she would listen to Yuudai, and let the couple sort this out on their own. It wasn't as if she could do anything else, anyway. Trying to convince her daughter to agree to what she did not want was akin to attempting to push a reluctant mule uphill.

"When is my grandson due? How were the prenatal checkups?"

Eishi shifted his attention from Rindou to her parents.

"The prenatal visits went well; we're following the doctor's advice closely. The baby is due sometime April to May next year. We haven't found out the gender yet…"

"You won't need to, my dear. It'll be a boy," Ayame muttered exasperatedly, even as Yuudai nodded beside her, grinning widely beside his wife.

"Yep, it's gonna be a boy!"

"It probably is gonna be a boy," Rindou agreed as well. She glanced at Eishi who was starting to look a bit nonplussed by their united remarks. "It's the Kobayashi Curse; haven't I mentioned it before?"

"…No?"

"Seriously? You never noticed that I'm the _only_ girl out of my parents' five children? And that all of my brothers' cute kids are boys? You saw the five million photos they constantly share of their spawn on the family chat, right?" Rindou asked. Eishi paused at that _. Now that she mentioned it…_

"I think my brothers are still having that friendly rivalry between them to see who's gonna have the first daughter." That would really explain all the prolific procreating, and why she already had ten nephews with a couple more on the way. Her parents certainly weren't complaining, for sure.

"…You do realize that baby gender is not dependent on the genetic contribution of the female parent, but that of the male parent, right?" Eishi asked. "So I don't think this curious affliction of your family applies in our case and we have a fair 50/50 chance when it comes to getting either sex."

Rindou exchanged a look with her amused parents, and then back at her visibly doubtful boyfriend.

"Ooh, you non-believer." She shook her head at him with mock disdain. "Stuff like logic and science matters not when it comes to the power of the Kobayashi Curse!"

"Nope, it does not at all," Yuudai cheerfully agreed.

"Don't make light of this, Eishi. I too was skeptical at first, but before I knew I was swimming in testosterones looking after a houseful of boisterous boys. Thank goodness for Rindou; we all assumed that she would be a boy as well, but much to our surprise, she's our little miracle girl."

Rindou started to grin.

"Aren't you the lucky one? Kobayashi females are a super rare breed, ya know? And you managed to hit jackpot and knock one up."

"Rindou, must you say it like that?" Ayame sighed.

The younger redhead shrugged.

"It's the truth, Ma. We wouldn't be here having this talk otherwise."

The four of them continued to chat and make plans for a while longer before finally saying their goodbyes. Rindou had also been given quite a bit of instructions and tips from her mother with regards to the pregnancy, and her father shared funny anecdotes of how he survived five separate gestations waiting on his expecting wife hand and foot with Eishi. Ayame also hinted not-so-subtly that there would be a follow up to the conversation that they had been having earlier.

"That went over pretty well, all things considered," Rindou commented, glancing at her partner after the video call finally disconnected. "See; I told you that there's nothing to worry about – my parents adore you. I think the whole reason why my mom's so upset about the marriage thing is probably because she can't wait to add you into the family register faster."

"That can be easily rectified," he told her meaningfully, and she huffed.

"You're just going to keep going at it until I give in, aren't you?"

"Did you have any doubt?" he retorted. "So say yes soon, you troublesome woman."

"…So pushy."

"I can be pushier."

She wrinkled her nose at him and stood from the couch. She stretched, and padded off into the kitchen to raid the fridge. He switched off the laptop, cleared out the coffee table, and that was when she reemerged to the living room with her prize; a bowl of homemade dark chocolate ice cream, drizzled with sea salt caramel sauce. She plopped back down beside him, savoring her icy treat.

"Say, is the gender of the baby really that important to you?" she asked after a few mouthfuls of chocolaty bliss.

He turned to her, briefly considering her question.

"…Not really, no. But it'd be good to know in advance so that we can start preparing the nursery and get the baby stuff."

"We can just get gender neutral baby thingies." She shrugged…and then she started to grin, as an idea hit her. He looked at her warily. Nothing good ever happened whenever she was sporting that unholy smirk on her face.

"Shall we have a bet~?"

"You want to…bet…on our child's gender?" he asked, just in case he had assumed wrongly.

"Why not? We're gonna find out in a few weeks, anyway. Unless you'd rather we remain in suspense, then I s'pose we can just wait until the baby's born-"

"Let's _not_ do that," Eishi refuted before she could finish. Rindou chuckled.

"That would have driven you nuts, huh, kept in the dark for the next few months? Control freak," she teased. "So 'bout the wager…if it's a girl, I'll marry you!"

"… _What_? No!" He was incredulous at her flippancy. "I can't believe that I have to say this; _when_ we marry, it's going to be because you want to spend the rest of your life with me _,_ not because you lost a bet." Also, what was she trying to say? _If they have a boy, were they never going to get married?_

Yep, he was all ruffled, alright. She was not surprised. "You're so straitlaced about some things," she commented over the rim of her bowl, eyes dancing with mirth at his irritation. "So, no bet?"

"Bet something else," he muttered with firm exasperation. He really could not believe the outrageous things that came out of this woman's mouth sometimes. "We can trade parental responsibilities for when the baby comes. The less…desirable ones. Like diaper changes, late night/early morning feeds, etcetera."

"You're so boring; at least trade sexual favors," she complained. "Like if I lose, I'll make your secret fantasy come to life and do housework… _naked_! If you lose, you do the same thing!"

"For the record, doing housework naked sounds like a terribly unsanitary idea," he started, even as the mental image of her bouncing around the apartment in her birthday suit…bounced around his mind. The notion was way more attractive than it had any right to be, damn it.

"Oh _fine_ , what if I also put on one of those frilly French maid aprons that barely covers all the important bits _and_ do the chores? Maybe I'll get one of those vintage ostrich feather dusters while I'm at it too..." she pondered the idea enthusiastically.

He sent her a long, dubious stare.

"…Are you actually intending to do literal housework, or are you just going to pose around and do that thing where you take every opportunity to bend over a lot in front of me?" Because that had happened before, and not that he hadn't thoroughly enjoyed the view, but absolutely nothing productive got done – nothing on the non-procreative end, that was.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

" _Ooh_ , why are you always _so_ nitpicky and detail oriented! Fine, 'coz there's no way I'm losing this bet! It's a deal! The one bending over a lot this time is gonna be you for sure, servant boy!"

"I'm already bending over backwards a lot because of you," he muttered exasperatedly under his breath as they shook on it.

She cackled gleefully.

"Well, this time get ready to do it in a frilly little apron square and nothing else. I bet the big lacy bow's really gonna accentuate that pale and pasty behind of yours~"

"My behind is not _that_ pale or pasty. You seem to like it well enough either way," he uttered with faint defensiveness.

She smirked. "I never said that I didn't like it. I'd lick whipped cream off of your toned butt and sink my teeth into those firm gluts if you let me… Oh wait, I'm pretty sure that I've already done those before~"

"…" He was starting to look flustered at the memory she conjured. " _Rindou_!"

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

This chapter is a companion piece (of sorts) to Chapter 11's Catch me if you can.

In terms of timeline, the events in this chapter precedes 'Catch me if you can,' i.e. our love birds faced off against the Kobayashi Papa!Bear and Mama!Bear duo first before they took on the Tsukasa Papa!Eagle and Mama!Eagle pair a few weeks later!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Valiant Eishi, jumping through all the hoops and working so hard to prove that his love for Rindou is true (and to get her to marry him), haha. All this time, our girl has allowed herself to come second to his cooking, so in this she absolutely won't budge until he proves that she is number one in his heart. And that's how this cookie crumbles!

'Eishi, be ambitious!' is a play of the famous phrase, 'Boys, be ambitious!' made popular by a quote from American professor Dr. William Smith Clark:

" _Boys, be ambitious! Be ambitious not for money or for selfish aggrandizement, not for that evanescent thing which men call fame. Be ambitious for the attainment of all that a man ought to be."_

I thought it quite fitting to use in this scenario!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

For those who are wondering why Papa!Kobayashi is so chill (and not threatening to wrap Eishi's gonads around his neck or something equivalent for knocking up his daughter), it's because Papa!Kobayashi is not a man who believes in blustering threats. He is a man of action and consequence. In this case, since Eishi is manfully taking responsibility, there is no need for him to do the superfluous and unnecessary.

…That said, because of the dangerous nature of their work, Papa!Kobayashi, Mama!Kobayashi and all of their sons are licensed to carry firearms…and Eishi knows that too, haha.

There's really no need for threats at all!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

The Kobayashi Curse is real (and has struck again)!

Poor Eishi. Let's say that Queen-for-a-day!Rindou had fun being waited on hand and foot by her smexy!French-servant-boy, lol.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


	30. Chapter 30

**Title:** Peerless

 **Author:** sllebswap

 **Characters/Pairing:** Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

 **Type:** OneShot/Drabble Collection (InComplete)

 **Genre:** Romance/General/Humor

 **Word Count:** 4883

 **Rating:** T (Contains content not suitable for children)

 **Disclaimer:** Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

 **Summary:** To be peerless is to be unrivalled. Standing at the highest peak, unchallenged and without equal. To be peerless is to endure; the pressure of the world clamoring at your feet, the stark bite of loneliness clawing at your back. …Or is it always?

Loosely interconnected one-shots/drabbles exploring the curious relationship between Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindou. Updates may not be in chronological order.

 **Verse:** Canon Divergent AU

 **Chapter Last Revised on:** 20/07/18

* * *

 **飞** **燕**

* * *

When their son finally decided that it was time to make his exciting debut into the world, there was no warning whatsoever.

After teasing his exasperated parents with his impending arrival for _weeks_ , it finally happened one fine day in April. To be precise, it was the day _after_ his father's birthday – maybe the baby was being considerate, giving his prone-to-anxiety male parent a nice break before the poor man had to assume the hectic schedule that was full time fatherhood.

One moment, the heavily expectant redhead was in the middle of preparing her afternoon snack in the kitchen, and the next, her water broke and there was a huge puddle of amniotic fluid all over the floor and dripping down her legs and she was still holding onto her ladle in the middle of stirring miso paste into borscht soup.

This time was _not_ a drill, and of course it figured that when the big event was about to go down for real, _she was all alone at home_. Her husband had some very important guests to serve at the restaurant that evening, and even though he was becoming more and more reluctant to leave her side now that she was so big and due anytime soon, she had thrown a fit and made him go to work that morning all the same because he would have been underfoot and getting in her way the entire time and there would be no getting rid of him with how he was poking into her business so much lately.

In hindsight, perhaps it might not have been the best idea to push Eishi out the door as soon as possible, but that thought was neither here nor there now. Rindou stared down at the growing pool of birthing fluid on the floor, and then back up at the bubbling soup on the stove which she was hankering to eat. She wilted sadly; she was hungry and had been looking forward to trying her newest invention, a brainchild which she had dreamt up late last night. Her stomach had been gurgling all day long in anticipation too… _or maybe was that because the baby was coming_ …?

 _What a mess, geeze._

The redhead decided to clean up. She was sticky and uncomfortable and grimaced as her soaked indoor slippers squished beneath her feet when she shifted gingerly. The aching and contractions were starting to make their presence known, ramping up bit by bit, but they were still manageable, and she could power past the dull pain. So this was _why_ she had been feeling so weird today – she had attributed it to _indigestion,_ turned out that she was giving birth.

Rindou set down the ladle, switched off the stove and picked up her phone. She sent a short text to her doctor ( _'water broke, going to hospital'_ ), and then carefully waddled off to the bathroom to take a quick shower and change out of her soiled clothes. They had prepared for this, so she was calm as she went through the motions. Once bathed and changed into a new, clean set of outfit complete with padded maternity underwear, Rindou wandered back out to survey the mess that she had inadvertently made.

She figured that Tsukasa was going to have _kittens_ if she left the gross biologicals as they were all over the floor for him to find when he got back later, and _suddenly_ it became imperatively important to her adrenaline-confused mind that she save her fainthearted significant other from that emotional trauma because – 1) the kitchen was _his_ sacred space, and 2) she already married him so she had to take good care of him now and make sure he last a long time.

With that firm logic and abrupt determination that made little sense to anyone but herself, the heavily pregnant woman broke out the cleaning supplies and got down on her hands and knees to diligently disinfect every inch of the floor until she was grimly satisfied by how much the linoleum tiles gleamed beneath her furious scrubbing…and then an abrupt contraction had her gasping on all fours, the sudden pressure bearing down on her back intensely enough to make her eyes water, _a blatant reminder that she was currently in the midst of childbirth_ and really had no business carrying out spontaneous housekeeping duties at the moment.

The redhead grimaced and rode out the wave of discomfort, arching slightly in a bid to relieve the pain. Eventually, the contractions abated enough for her to move, she climbed slowly onto her feet and grabbed her phone. She dialed for a cab, and then realized that she was still ravenous, _too_. So while waiting, Rindou took her mind off of the labor pains by focusing on the hunger pangs instead. She packed her miso-borscht soup into a portable flask, washed up, and then waddled off to the entryway, picking up her purse and hospital bag on the way.

She paused at the doorway, contemplating how to let Eishi know what was happening. She found herself stuck in a dilemma – the VIPs he was entertaining tonight were some really, _really_ influential individuals, and she did not want to distract him from wholeheartedly sharing his culinary visions with the guests who had patiently waited for so long just to eat at his table. On the other hand, he had specifically made her _promise_ to leave him a message if anything were to happen, so she knew that her well-intentioned reluctance was not going to stick when he inevitably found out…

In the end, she settled for a compromise of scribbling him a quick Post It note, which she stuck on the fridge door.

 _Gone to have baby. Probably won't be home in time for supper._ _–R_

Content that she had held up her end of her promise (even if not in spirt then at least in letter), the expectant female locked up, left the apartment, and proceeded to march off to tackle the thoroughly messy, bloody business of bringing a tiny, new life into this world.

* * *

As expected, when Eishi returned to the apartment hours later after work, he was _not_ happy at all to find wife missing and only an exasperatingly halfhearted note left behind explaining her disappearance. _Gone to have baby?_ _Won't be home in time for supper?_ She made it sound like she had just wandered out to pick up groceries.

The moment he snatched up the note and figured out what had happened, the frazzled white haired (and white faced) man had immediately did an abrupt about turn and rushed out of their home, fighting the rare urge to utter profanities under his breath. He drove to the hospital in record time, burst through the doors of the hospital like the frantic dad-to-be like he was, and the staff at the delivery ward must have already seen their share of panicking husbands/significant others and they sure as certain all recognized the Tsukasa couple on sight by now so the nurse on duty promptly pointed him in the direction of his laboring mate.

" _You_ -" Eishi started darkly the moment he stalked into the ward that she had been settled in, and finally got to see for himself that she was perfectly fine. "- _were supposed to leave me a message_."

Rindou waved at him, not surprised to see that he had finally found his way here. She was happy to see him, eyes lighting up – in a surprisingly good mood despite being in the middle of childbirth. "I did! You wouldn't be here otherwise!"

"I meant a _text_ message and you know it, you exasperating woman," he uttered disgruntledly as he headed straight towards her. She was already changed into a hospital gown, sitting on a chair in the room and enjoying a bowl of fruits and a sports drink that the nurses had given her to keep her energy level up. The television was playing in the background, offering some form of entertainment and ambient noise, and overall, the atmosphere was relaxing, nothing like the charged, frenetic environment of how one would assume a labor would be like.

"S'all good – you're here all the same and as you can see, nothing really exciting has actually happened yet." He was still visibly agitated and ruffled, though – so she reached out and petted his arm as he stood beside her. "Doc said that I still have some ways to go before the party downstairs starts, so you're right on time! How's work?"

He stared at her balefully, vaguely nonplussed by her upbeat demeanor. "…I cooked. The guests ate. They paid for the meal and left. We closed up," he finished in succinct conclusion.

She scowled faintly at his deadpan. He was normally a lot more descriptive and willing to talk – he was just being deliberately annoying right now, she knew it. " _Duh_! Of course I know that! Gimme all the juicy details! Did they love your menu? Oh, what am I saying; _of course_ they loved it! Rephrase; which dish did they like most? What did they say? What were they like? Did you get an autograph? Did you take a photo too?"

Her easy faith and firm belief in him was humbling, as always. He sat down on the chair beside hers, relenting.

"Members of Japanese royalty are not allowed to give out autographs or take unofficial photos with the public," he reminded her. "…But importantly, they enjoyed the dinner service. I'm honored by the patronage. The young princess especially asked a lot of animated questions about the dishes, and about French culture."

She beamed at his modest, quietly pleased reply. "Did it bring smiles to their faces, eating your delicious food?"

"…It did."

"Did it make you happy too, seeing your guests explore your cooking with delight and wonder?"

"Yes."

"Then…has this difficult journey been worth it so far, Tsukasa?"

His gaze softened. She was so genuinely elated for him, her pride was almost tangible. She was still affectionately petting his forearm, so he turned his palm up and took her hand in his own.

This journey had led him to this point, where everything he needed was right here, before him.

"Absolutely."

* * *

"And don't think I don't know that you're trying to change the subject. You better tell me what happened to you from beginning to end."

She looked vaguely amused by his demand. "What's there to tell~? We had sizzling hot makeup sex about nine months ago and did it prolifically all over the apartment until you knocked me up, and now here we are – hey, you were very much there too, did you forget already?"

He spluttered, even as the nurse who had briefly stopped by to check on Rindou muffled a giggle behind her hand, struggling to keep a straight face as she monitored the vitals of both mother and baby, making sure that both were well while they were waiting for Rindou to dilate enough to enter the active stage of labor.

"I was talking about what happened to you earlier today, you insufferable woman." Of course he had very well remembered how they had ended back together as well as what they had done that night to result in her pregnancy.

"Oh, that. I was making lunch when my water broke. Don't worry, I cleaned up the mess before I cabbed over."

"…" _Who asked her to do that?_ He frowned at her. "Next time, please just go to the hospital straightaway – what if you gave birth while you were cleaning? Better yet, next time, just _call me_ like you were supposed to-"

He was starting to warm up to his lecture, and she grimaced.

"Oi, you. I had everything under control," she interjected before he could really get going – there would be no stopping him then. "And I knew that you were going to overreact and insist on dropping everything to run over so that's why I left the message instead, _hmmph_."

He was exasperated by her reply. "Of course I would rush over right away! My wife's giving birth to our firstborn – there's nothing more important than being here right now."

His words were nearly enough to make a woman swoon. The nurse was certainly smiling with approval at this emphatic demonstration of husbandly concern, her gaze resting warmly on the young couple as she excused herself, her role fulfilled for the hour, at least. Rindou was not so easily moved by her partner's earnest determination, though she did not stop petting him to calm him down.

"You say this now, but let's see if you still feel that way when the time comes to change the baby's diapers."

* * *

Childbirth was a lot of waiting, it quickly became apparent to the soon-to-be parents. A whole, long series of waiting, but now they were finally on the home stretch.

Waiting for contractions. Waiting for dilation. Waiting for the baby to get in just the right position to be born.

Rindou was in a surprisingly upbeat mood for the most parts – 'Of course I'm happy! This baby is finally coming out; have you any idea how _long_ I've been waiting for this?' – but as more time elapsed, the frequency of the contractions spiked and the intensity of the pressure grew sharper, and she became less cheerful and more testy and short-tempered, as she had every right to.

The pain of childbirth was no joke, and she had been enduring it for _hours_ already, even before he arrived to her side. He didn't like to see her suffering, her body struggling so hard to bring their baby out into this world. Her grimaces as she bore through the increasingly long contractions, the way her hands clenched into the bed rails as she gasped at the fierce, constricting discomfort, she was beginning to perspire from the grueling physical exertions and he wished that he could do something for her, other than staying helplessly by her side.

So he conversed with her. Distracting her from her pain, letting her know that her family have been alerted to the fact that the baby was really coming in earnest this time, and that plans to travel back to Japan to see them were in the process of being activated as soon as possible.

"What are you doing?" he asked when she abruptly sat up from the bed and made to stand. She slowly took to her feet, a strangely determined glint in her eyes.

"I need to move," she replied, oddly restless.

" _Now_?"

She was already shuffling around the room, heading for the door. He got up and went after her. "Rindou, I don't think that's a good idea-"

She brushed him off and made her big escape. Of course she succeeded…though they promptly ran into the midwife at the hallway and the woman was not happy to see her charge wandering around this close to the baby's impending birth. But the matronly lady did not attempt to stop Rindou, after taking one look at her dogged features.

"Keep a close eye on her, Tsukasa-san," the midwife warned the husband gruffly instead. "Be careful that she doesn't falls, always make sure to stop and drop whatever you are doing when a contraction hits; it'd be good if you can time the duration of the contractions too, as well as the interval in between. Your wife is ready to have the baby anytime soon, so we need to watch her closely."

"… _Uh_ , isn't it better if we stayed put in the ward instead?" All the same, Eishi mentally took note of the demands that were required of him.

The stout woman glanced at his huffing and puffing wife, and then flatly back at the obliviously optimistic husband. This was obviously a new father who had never before dealt with the indomitable nature of a woman about to give birth. _Well, he would learn soon enough._

"…If you can convince her to stay put, please go ahead."

… _Right_.

The heavily expectant redhead was incredibly on edge and agitated. She most definitely did not want to sit around, conserve her energy as would be the most sensible thing to do, and _wait_ for the baby to be born. Eishi also had the distinct impression that if he tried to herd her back into the room, she'd probably aim a bedpan at his head. He nodded in understanding, and the midwife stood aside to let them pass. It was not recommended for mothers to be walking around at this stage of labor, but there were some females who grew incredibly restless and needed to pace around before they settled down for the final stretch, and it seemed like the missus Tsukasa was one of those.

"Rindou, where are we going?" Eishi asked, as he held her arm to steady her and they both walked down the hallway together.

"Outside," she mumbled, still tense, her gaze distracted. "I wanna go _out_. I feel cloistered in here."

Her husband relented at her quiet agitation.

"…Alright. But only for a while, and then we come back."

She grunted grumpily, and they got into the lift after waiting at lobby for some time. However, instead of heading down, they went _up_. They eventually arrived at the rooftop level, though they had to stop briefly when they stepped out when she was hit by a contraction. She grabbed his hand haplessly, hissing and going stiff as she squeezed _hard_.

He tried not to wince as she was doing her level best to crush his fingers…which really indicated how much pain she was in. She bit the inside of her cheek and swallowed her groan of discomfort, and he held her steady through the entire duration of the contraction. She was shuddering by the time the pressure eased again, and then she slowly waddled forward. He matched her pace, one hand slowly rubbing her aching lower back, and they made their way to the rooftop garden. He found them a seat on a stone bench nestled amongst the flora, and helped her to settle down. She exhaled and relaxed marginally, calming as she was surrounded by the soothing quiet of nature. They were the only ones there at the moment, and Rindou was intensely glad to be out of the clinical environment of the hospital ward, if only for a little while.

She rubbed her swollen belly ruefully and leaned gratefully into Eishi's side when he sat beside her.

"If I can, I'd give birth right here," she muttered, her eyes closing as she soaked up the peaceful tranquility of the night. This was so much better, feeling a gentle breeze washing across her face, hearing the soft rustles of the trees and shrubs as the passing zephyr teased their branches.

Eishi took her hand in his and entwined their fingers.

"That's a firm, outraged 'no' from me, so don't even entertain that thought," he retorted dryly. He brought her hand up to his mouth, grazing his lips against her knuckles. "Just a little bit more to go," he murmured, coaxing. "Okay?"

Her eyes opened, met his gentle ones. Even though she was feeling very cantankerous and agitated right now, her chest warmed with affection and gratitude for his patience, and his sweetness.

"…I love you," she sighed softly, _heartfelt_.

He pressed a tender kiss onto the inside of her wrist.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"Oo _ohh_ h. Huu. HUUHUU _HUU_. TSU. KA. SA. I. **HATE**. YOUUUU."

After the fifteenth bellowing declaration from Rindou, Eishi's feelings were no longer hurt by his laboring mate's red faced pronouncement of undying hatred.

He just petted her hand, ears ringing from her screams. "Your lungs are very healthy," he commented. "Just a little bit more to go."

Splayed on the labor bed, the midwife and her assistant working between her draped legs that were hoisted apart on stirrups, Rindou was giving him the worst stink eye _ever_.

"YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT EVER SINCE YOU CAME HERE, YOU LITTLE- _HaaAAA_. HUU. HUUHUUHUU _HUUUU_ -"

His response to her howl of fury was to ferry her a glass of energy drink.

"I understand. Please drink this."

He stuck the straw in her mouth before she could yell at him some more, and so she furiously sucked on the Pocari in between agonizing contractions, venting her pain-fueled displeasure on the drink.

Eishi really did not know why he had even been worried about the labor in the first place; even now, his Rindou was energetic as ever. He also didn't mind her volume dial being permanently, _violently_ , stuck on HIGH at the moment – it was an indication of her vitality, after all.

"YOUR ASS IS MINE," she hollered during one particularly intense contraction.

"Okay." He was still petting her the way someone would an enraged anaconda – _very carefully_. "Deep breaths, Rindou."

"I WILL DEEP BREATH YOUR # (#*, YOU #$#$(-"

"I love you too," he replied.

"£{%}€#-"

She was blowing hard like a sperm whale, complexion splotchy and perspiring all over the place from her massive exertions, even as the midwife coached her to time her breathing and her pushes with the onset of her contractions. It was nearly midnight, she had been in labor for about eleven hours already and not surprisingly, she was very ready to get it done and over with.

"Alright, Rindou-san, we're almost there," the brisk, face mask-muffled voice of the midwife spoke up, and both parents perked up at her announcement. "The baby's head is crowning- we can see him now. One more controlled push should do it. Get ready, on my signal-"

The next few minutes passed in a quick blur. When the contraction surged again, the redhead threw her head back and bore down _hard_ at the midwife's direction, yelling with all of her might as she gave that one last, fierce push to bring her son into this world.

Quick, experienced hands swiftly yanked the newborn out from between his mother's trembling legs, and Eishi's eyes sharpened with interest and anticipation when they lifted the little thing out from beneath the surgical drapes, still pinkish red, all slick and slippery from birthing fluid.

The nursing staff worked fast; the baby's mouth and airway were quickly cleared of fluid and mucus, and then the infant was cleaned and rubbed down gently but briskly with a soft towel to stimulate him into taking his first breath.

The baby squirmed weakly, an unhappy scowl growing on his wizened little old man face, obviously displeased to be so summarily ejected from the warmth of his mother's body into this cold, loud and noisy environment. Eyes squeezed shut, his small chest expanded and he opened his little mouth for the very first time to express his unhappiness, and a scratchy, trembling series of wails escaped him, his tiny but strong, well-formed set of lungs working perfectly – he had obviously inherited that impressive capacity and volume from his mother.

The marvelous sound had an instantaneous effect on Rindou. It was as if she was suddenly possessed by the fiercest parental instinct to respond to the helpess cry of her young, completely vulnerable child. Rindou lifted her head from the pillow, utterly fatigued and still gripped in the throes of pain but eager to see and hold her baby all the same. That sharp bite of desperation was almost on par to that of full blown anxiety; that was how strong her maternal urge was.

The assistant quickly came over, the crying infant in her arms. It was a busy hive of activity in the delivery room. A circulating nurse quickly logged down the time of birth – the newborn would also be weighted and measured later for his birth records. The midwife continued to work efficiently between her charge's legs, helping to deliver the placenta as well as to treat and repair any superficial damage that might have elicited during the course of the delivery.

"Tsukasa-san, would you like to cut the umbilical cord of your son?" Another nurse joined them as well. The baby was still naked, and obviously very much malein anatomy as he was presented to his parents for the very first time _._ His umbilical cord was promptly and expertly clamped, a razor sharp pair of surgical scissors was extended handle first to the new father, and Eishi quickly severed the cord at the point between the two clamps as indicated.

His crying son was passed over to his impatiently waiting mother next, and Rindou's expression lit up when she received him, cradling him in her arms that were already literally _aching_ fiercely with the need to hold him close. All that agony and discomfort for the last nine months or so were well worth it, just for this single moment alone.

"Hi," she whispered, suddenly so gentle and tender, and nothing like that ferocious and snappy dragoness that she had been earlier. Her flushed expression was soft, her bright, glowing eyes running adoringly, intently, over those beloved, miniaturized features. She loved him so much already. " _Hi_."

Eishi leaned in close to inspect their son too. He was so very little, and he also looked rather funny and wrinkled and angry pink the way newborns always do, but he had ten little toes and ten little fingers, he was so squishy soft _and_ noisy loud at the same time, and there was what seemed like a light fuzz of matted red hair growing on top of his weird little misshapen head.

He was _wonderfully perfect_.

Eishi's awestruck gaze gentled, as he was slowly filled with this undeniable, intrinsic understanding that there was nothing that he would not do for this tiny young life.

"Hello, Hi'en. We've been waiting for you."

* * *

In the aftermath, everything had felt almost anticlimactic. Or perhaps he had worked himself up into such a state during Rindou's labor that he was completely wrung out, almost as much as she was in fact, by the time her ordeal was over. Contrary to his exhibited outward calm earlier, it had actually taken effort to maintain that state of Zen-ness in the controlled chaos of the delivery suite, in order to keep himself from adding to the rocketing stress levels in the room.

While a physically exhausted but elated Rindou had been wheeled out of the delivery area to be cleaned up and changed into a fresh set of hospital gown, the nurse who had been very expertly taking care of the red faced and squalling newborn whom the redhead had worked so hard to birth gestured for the lost, unsure new father to follow her to the nursery. It was vaguely amusing how the new fathers' reactions were almost always the same regardless of character, socioeconomic status, race or intelligence.

When they eventually placed his newborn son in his arms, now cleaned and swaddled in a soft fleece blanket to keep him warm and toasty, Eishi was trying hard not to panic all over again because his son was still screaming his little head off, looking quite frankly pissed to be born, actually.

The nurse matron glanced at the hopeless expression of the awkward new dad trying very hard not to feel completely out of his league.

"You may want to talk to your son, Tsukasa-san," she suggested helpfully. Eishi stared at her with pure bewilderment. After all that training and baby care classes and he still could not help but feel that he was completely _not_ equipped for the actual thing. "It's okay. He recognizes your voice, you know. …Go ahead and talk to your baby."

And so Eishi did. He shifted slightly and held his son gingerly against his chest, trying to make him comfortable. He could not help but marvel all over again, how absolutely _tiny_ his child was.

"… _Shh_ ," he hushed gently, hesitantly at first. "Shh, Hi'en. Hi'en. It's okay. I'm here. You're going to be okay. You're safe. You're my son. I love you. Everything's going to be alright. I'm here now, I'm here."

His voice had an immediate, miraculous effect. The distressed and scared baby started to calm down at the familiar sound. His furiously squalling, flailing wails gradually petered off to quieting squirming, and his tense, shuddering little body started to relax in his father's strong, steady arms. His quick, ragged respiration visibly abated, frantic, racing heartbeats slowing down as his male parent continued to speak softly to him.

Eishi watched with wonder as the newborn, not even an hour old, visibly _strained_ to turn his little head towards him, instinctively seeking the source of that comforting sound. Dark, unfocused eyes slowly squinted open for the very first time, blinking disgruntledly at the blinding, bright lights overhead, trying hard to 'see' this voice that he knew so well...for the very first time. It would be a while more before his vision developed enough for him to actually _look_ at his parents…but for now, this was enough.

The elderly nurse matron smiled with satisfaction as the infant was pacified, his crying finally stopping altogether.

"He was terrified and really stressed out earlier, because this strange new world is so much different from the warm and protective haven inside Okaa-san," she explained kindly. "But now he knows he's safe and not alone, because he hears your voice. Well done, Otou-san."

* * *

 _::owari::_

* * *

 **Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:**

I was motivated to write this chapter because I've been running in and out of a women's hospital lately and all I see are mothers-to-be so heavily pregnant I kinda wished they hung a safety net between their legs just in case the baby suddenly fell out, haha. (Yah I know it doesn't work that way but still!) Been attending quite a few C-sects too. The noble process of childbirth is amazing and inspiring. But it's also very gross and bloody, I tell you.

Most of all, mothers are freaking amazing. Go and hug your moms please and thank them for all the pain and agony they put themselves through just to bring our obnoxious and argumentative asses out into this world, okay.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Yes, some of you may have already figured it out two chapters back (kudos to all of you who do, you smart discerning cookies you!), so Hi'en's birthday falls on the 3rd of April, right after his dad's! He's a little Aries ram like papa too!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Labor can take a very long time, especially for first time mothers. You need the cervix to ripen, soften and shorten, shifting from posterior position to anterior. You need the cervix to dilate. You need the contractions to slowly and continuously move the baby downwards and through the birth canal, and all of these happen in stages. As such, a first birth can take a very long time (and consume a lot of energy), not even taking into consideration the risks of complications.

So in here, as you can see, we have Rindou in various stages of labor…or at least I hope I wrote well enough to demonstrate them!

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Some babies' heads kinda come out a bit flat/misshapen at birth, haha. That's because their skulls are so soft and malleable still, and during the process of birth too much pressure may have been placed onto a certain spot on the head to change the shape, but no worries! This condition almost always correct itself with time.

Worried parents do all sorts of funny things to try to resolve the condition faster though, like putting a correction helmet on their offspring (kinda like the mold the Japanese use to grow square watermelons or make other strange shapes haha), or making sure that the baby does not sleep resting on the same side all the time, or just rubbing the baby's head whenever they can to try to 'rub' it back into a round shape, etc. (lol)

Babies are really resilient and tough, though. We usually tend to treat them like they are so fragile and made of glass, but during the birthing process the midwife and/or the obstetrician just literally drag the little bodies out of the mothers with all the vigor and enthusiasm that one would normally reserve for uprooting a stubborn turnip out from a hard packed ground…and they are still none the worse despite the rough treatment lol.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Baby!Hi'en recognizes papa's voice! Of course he does, papa speaks a lot to him all the time! The Tsukasa!family storytelling time quite literally starts from Rindou's womb, I'm telling you, haha.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

 _ **Main leads' ages in this chapter:**_ 24 y.o.

 **xXxXxXxXxX**

Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap


End file.
